JL UPRISING-ORIGIN and WAR
by ZoSo7MoS
Summary: A group of teenagers with diverse personalities, each with their past issues and stories. The Justice League. Only before they were heroes. Would they still be the same? Lovers? Gods? Legends forged in fire. Lights of hope rekindled. An ominous threat that lurks in shadow. DCAU Eventual BM/WW, others. Unsung-Hero Superman.
1. Chapter 1- GL

**Authors Note- (If you gave up trying to read this the first time because of confusing, haphazard timelines, then you're in luck! Because It has been re-written! Now the events are easier to follow, the character development makes better sense, and the Batman/Wonder Woman comes faster!)**

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**In this story, I attempt to sculpt these Legends into what they were, humans. Imperfect, mistake making humans.**

**For romance, be patient, when this story starts they are but teenagers. I know that you might be upset, but don't worry, plenty of ships to sail.**

**The first chapter might put a lot of people off because it's about GL and I know not a lot of people like Hal much, and his pairing in the chapter might surprise you a bit. Please remember, they are a bunch of idiot teenagers, and this story is about how they mature, and how they grow in power. There are plenty of perspectives, you may see in the later chapters. I hope you like this new take of the DC universe and I hope that the Superman you see here will come to be viewed in reverence as an image of what we can all be.**

**I know some people are SM/WW shippers who dont like the idea of BM/WW and I am aware of this...In this story Clark IS infatuated with Diana. But that doesnt last very long...her feelings are complicated. As the story progresses, Bruce and Diana rediscover themselves, and Clark watches as they slowly fall for each other...**

**Okay now I know im ranting, but a few more things. One, this is my first story here, and I will try to reply to all reviews and PM's as I really appreciate feedback. I hope you keep an open mind while reading this.**

**Two, I know many of you thought my writing was bad the first time they tried to read this. I apologise and I hope this re-write is easier to follow.**

**DISCLAIMER (Just in case ;) ) – The following is a non profit fan based story. Justice League and their members are all owned by DC. Please support this story if you like it.**

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**CHAPTER-1 LANTERN ORIGIN**

Deep Space Sector 27- Lantern Outpost Omega

The Green Lantern known as Kilowog had been stationed in the deep space sector of a galaxy known locally to the residents of the nearby Sol system as The Milky Way. The primitive planet's residents were bipedal humanoids evolved from basic life over a span of 3.5 billion planet rotations around their sun, with barely advanced technology and basic awareness of alien life. He felt no obligation to interact with the planets residents. They were beneath him.

He had used his ring to build a temporary outpost. He had been stationed here due to misconduct on an important mission, where in his rashness, he had jumped the gun. His mission, given to him personally by the guardians, was to prepare the primitive planets soon to be new initiate. The Lantern Abin Sur had been brutally murdered by a threat he could only with his dying breath tell the guardians about- Parallax. His ring had taken upon itself to find a new bearer, one worthy of matching up to the legend of Abin Sur. Kilowog was not a happy camper to find out that the ring had chosen this squabbling, yet to achieve planetary peace so very primitive planet. The Lantern from here, he anticipated, would be as rash as he was, if not more so. What he had seen of these "humans" was that they were not ready for the responsibilities of being Lanterns. Their History was a testimony to that. War constantly raged on the planet. But Kilowog had a small sliver of hope that the ring would choose the right person. It had been known for choosing rash and hard headed Initiates, but brave and true to heart people.

Kilowog patiently waited, the ring had entered the Sol System.

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**EARTH**

A 14 year old Hal Jordan kicked around a football with some of his friends. It was high summer and the perfect time to play a friendly game. But Hals constant competitive behavior often gave the simple match an edge. He enjoyed the rush and the competition, but often liked to quietly mind his own business after the match, His friends seemed to enjoy his presence, although he didn't come too often. He would mostly come to play because his girlfriend, Diana, loved to watch. After, they would walk and catch up as they lived quite far from each other, and their parents weren't exactly supportive of their relationship. But he truly liked her, and she liked him since the 3rd grade. It sort of played out as soon as they reached 9th. But he always had competition. There were a few people he had had to bully around to get them to stay away from Diana.

Bruce Wayne was one of them. The 15 year old Bruce lived in the same apartment complex as Diana and her Mother, so things were complicated. Bruce's mother had passed away when he was 5, and he lived with his father...whom Hal was convinced was not his real parent. The man, Alfred, did NOT look anything like Bruce, and he was much too old.

Bruce hadn't really shown feelings towards Diana, but it was obvious as Bruce would flirt with her openly. He was popularly known as a dumbass. But Hal knew he wasn't half as dumb as he looked. He and that other kid, Clark Kent.

Now he was a real sketchy piece. He frequently bothered Diana and she did not like it. Neither did Hal. But the guy had something about him. He was always quiet, reserved…as if he knew something he didn't want to share with the rest of the world. He was completely nuts, but he managed to hide it.

He had a blog online, in which he frequented updates and boy, was he more than a little crazy. He had views on human psychology, basic human tendencies and the lot. But his writing wasn't really well known, and he wasn't really that popular in school, due to his notorious reputation of being bad at sports, and being careless to other people's emotions. In spite of knowing so much about humans, he reallllly wasn't that good at interacting with them. But he had a few friends…

Bruce, to name one. Clark and Bruce seemed to have some or the other big secret going on between them. When they came to play football, Bruce would play, he was pretty good, but Clark would just sit down, not even trying. That Hal could understand, he was horrible at it. Clark was a scrawny, thin, 15 year old and he had a mop of hair on his head that looked like he could probably use it to scrub the floors. Bruce and Hal, on the other hand, were known to be good lookers. Hal got his fair share of attention from the ladies, but ignored it mostly because of Diana. Bruce was a playboy in the strictest sense. He was only 15, after all. But Clark and Bruce had a lot in common. When playing football, he would sometimes look over at Clark on the benches with a twinkle in his eye and smile. Clark would nod as if he had some inside joke to share with him. What always upset Hal was that Diana would generally sit next to Clark while spectating.

Diana disliked Clark, as he would bother her quite a bit. But to be a nice person, Diana would give him company. She took pity on his loneliness. He seemed more interested in her than most people. Other than Bruce, that is. Bruce would openly stare at her as if she was the biggest prize he could possibly catch. The others playing football with them, would tease her about it.

Hals best friends were Barry and Victor. Barry was a thin 13 year old who was almost anorexic, he ate that less. Victor was an 11 year old football prodigy. The three friends, Hal, Barry and Vic, would often sit and chat after football. Clark and Bruce would go home, talking about something or the other.

This day was no different. Bruce walked out with his new girlfriend, today it was a "Selina" and Clark went home, sad and upset about his lack of friends._ He's probably going to go home and write an article about Humans and their inability to accept weirdos in their friends circles.._ Hal thought with a smirk. Diana held his hand as Barry walked up to them.

"So, where are you guys going today?"

"We thought we'd go for a walk then I'll drop Diana home, But I am not gonna stick around. Her mother doesn't like me very much…" Hal replied.

Diana rolled her eyes at Hal "My mother does NOT hate you.'

Hal smiled "C'mon Princess, let's go for a walk"

Victor laughed "Princess? That's a new one."

Diana looked at him. "Shut up, Kid, I like it"

Vic and Barry laughed as they walked away, talking something about who would win in a fight, The Hulk or Thor.

Hal rolled his eyes. "Nerds"

Diana looked up at him, smiling. Hal took her hand and they slowly walked around the park…the evening sky fading into night. Hal felt at peace. They walked for half an hour chatting about school and gossiping about the latest news.

Clark Kent had just done an enormously jerkish thing to do_. _He didn't have that many friends, but Karen was one of them. And he had made her hate him...Karen Starr was a 16 year old, amazingly beautiful, intelligent girl, who had oddly decided to have a crush on the group weirdo. Why, Hal had no idea. Diana also agreed that Karen could easily find better guys than Clark. It was fairly obvious that they wouldn't get together though. Clark had just spread a rumour that Karen had asked him out. Hal was pretty sure that wasn't true, but Clark was NOT the type to just randomly spread rumours.

Karen had found out, obviously. She broke his nose and told him never to talk to her again. Hal gripped Diana's hand tightly as they discussed ways of getting back at Clark Kent for hurting their friend. Diana made a quipping remark about breaking his nose again. Hal laughed and winked at her. "He probably wouldn't be able to take it...He's thin as a stick."

Hal dropped Diana home, leaving her on her door, kissing her goodnight. As he walked, he pondered upon Clark Kent. Why was he so…weird...It was unsettling.

Then, as he was about to reach his house, a green light streaked through the sky, and headed directly for Hal. The impact hit him so hard he was knocked off his feet, and blown back to shatter a lamppost. He felt woozy, and as his eyes dipped, he thought he saw a hulking figure wearing green…_Is that spandex?_

Hovering over him, the behemoth spoke. "It's about time..."

Hal passed out.

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**A/N-Okay if you've gotten this far, you probably think this story sucks and the whole idea is stupid. Yes, The idea IS stupid. **

**I just couldnt resist pairing Hal/Diana. Sorry. Puts a lot of the "immaturity" into perspective. The story starts off immature, but it gets deeper and darker as it progresses. AND I KNOW, 15 year olds. They are dumb. They will get into character and WILL become awesome. Their powers have a lot to do with their personality, right? So thats just how I pictured them as teenagers without powers...**

**Yeah I know, I'm ranting again...**

**I promise I dont do that too often, just the first chapter you know...I needed to make a good image, otherwise the readers will just say "_Meh, what a load of immature BS" _and move on.**

**Hehe...**

**Next up- THE FLASH ORIGINS...**


	2. Chapter 2- Flash

**A/N- A short one, this time. I really like The Flash and I hope I did him justice in this small chapter. I promise bigger ones in future.**

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**CHAPTER 2- THE FLASH ORIGINS**

**THE SPEEDFORCE**

Lightning flickered in the sky. The speedforce was alive. It felt the humming in the air, the time it had waited for this moment making it impatient. Its purpose was clear. The universe commanded it. The spark that would create the fastest being ever to exist, had to be started somewhere. The Speed force itself had to be started. It was this day. It had to be this day. . .

**EARTH**

Barry said goodbye to Victor and rushed up the stairs, two at a time. "DAD! I'm hooooome!" His Father, Henry Allen, replied through the hallway "Late as usual, Barry!" Barry threw himself on the couch. "I'm gonna watch some TV then go upstairs to do my homework, you carry on whatever you were doing!" Barry yelled. Henry yelled back "Stop Yelling, Bear! Its almost 10 o'clock!" Barry rolled his eyes at the nickname, and sat down to play Halo. He was very very addicted to the game. An hour passed by and Barry's concentration wasn't broken until a gust of wind rattled all the windows in the house. "Looks like a storms brewing..." Barry muttered.

Barry went inside his room, switching off the TV. He had always been slightly afraid of thunder, but he was 13 now. He needed to man up. He pulled his covers over him and took out his home science book. He had always been fond of science. He opened up a chapter on forensics. "Meh" he thought. "Booooring." He jumped out of bed and decided to distract himself from the storm outside. He took out his kit, and tried some basic experiments, synthesizing esters, neutralization of acetic acid, the Litmus test, and what not.

His mind slowly tunneled itself and he pushed the thought of the storm away, absently thinking of his long time crush, Iris. Their gang at school had the most popular and attractive girls...Diana, Lois Lane, Karen...but he only liked one of them..._Iris..._

Barry sighed, knowing the hopelessness of pushing the thought away. He tried to understand the latest piece of gossip going around instead. _Maybe If I focus on kicking Kent's ass I'll be able to distract myself from her..._ _Why would Clark hurt Karen like that? He almost literally broke her heart! Why would he just make a rumour about her like that? I thought they were friends?..._

Barry really didn't like the guy much. Clark Kent was the one person who never belonged in the group. Even Bruce, although he was an insatiable flirt, belonged more than Kent. He cracked his knuckles in irritation. As he thought about it, a bolt of lightning streaked through the ceiling and struck the kit in front of him. Barry nearly jumped in shock. _That...was close._ He thought. The kit had spilt so many chemicals on him, he was not entirely sure it was healthy. Then, before he could call out or do anything else, another bolt came down upon him, almost frying him with pain. Barry, unable to take it, passed out.

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**A/N- The birth of the speedster. Next up, Someone wonderful...**


	3. Chapter 3- WW

**A/N- Slightly longer chapter here. Hope you enjoy this modern take on Diana and her past...**

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**CHAPTER 3- WW ORIGINS**

**EARTH-DIANA's HOME**

Queen Hippolyta of Themyscira sat upon her bed, a gilded box in her hands, with an eerie light almost peeling off of it. She seemed to be pondering something. She silently came to a decision, whispering to herself. "Her training starts today, rather than it should have done years ago. Forgive me, Hera. I gave her awareness of Man's world. She knows how it works. And I believe, when given a chance, she will rise above all others in its protections. She is the light in my life, but I have kept her unaware for too long" Hippolyta heard the door open and Diana kiss her "boyfriend", Hal Jordan, goodbye. Taking a deep breath, she slowly lifted the box up and kept it on the bed. She would wait.

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**EARTH**

Diana kissed Hal goodbye and gently closed the door of the apartment. Her mother was asleep, hopefully.

Diana reached her room and sat down upon her bed, a lot to think about. The day had been crazy. Hal had come to play football after 2 weeks. She had been so wonderfully happy to see him. But that idiot Clark had bothered her so much when they were sitting together on the bleachers. He had been trying to make conversation..._Urgh..._her blood boiled just thinking about it.

He was a constant annoyance, and although Diana did admire his intelligence, there was almost too much of it, she did not appreciate his incessant babbling which he only seemed to do around her. And on top of that Diana was sure that Clark had played with Karen only for the sake of Diana. Did he think he had a chance? Hal could beat the shit out of him if he tried to make a move. And so could Diana. She was always a strong girl, stronger than many of the boys. Her mother constantly tried to stop her from talking to them. Hippolyta didn't like boys very much. Diana never knew why. She never bothered with any of Diana's boyfriends though. That was a good thing. Diana knew her mother loved her very much, but Diana couldn't bring herself to love her as well. She wanted to trust her mother with all her heart, but she couldn't.

Her mother kept too many secrets. For one, where were they from? Diana thought Greece, but Hippolyta? What type of name was that? Also, her mother's way of bringing her up was very odd. Not like the other kids…not like her best friend Lois. Diana and Lois had been besties since the third grade, and Diana noticed a big difference in their upbringing. Lois was quiet and shy around boys, but when she got to know them, she was crazy around them. Diana was rude and harsh, she didn't trust them easily…Except for Hal, Barry and Vic.

Bruce she could tolerate, but he flirted far too much for her liking. Clark was a frienemy, as everyone called it.

Diana had few friends, and their ragtag gang was all she knew of the social interactions. Hal, Barry, Bruce, Vic, Clark, Lois, Iris, Karen, Dinah and Oliver were the only friends she had. She wanted to trust her mother as well, but no matter how much she tried to remove it, suspicion still lingered. Still, she was content with her life.

Her mother chose that moment, when Diana was deep in thought, to try and sneak into her room. But Diana always had had very good hearing. "What do you need, mother?"

"I'm sorry to bother you, Diana, but we need to talk"

"What is this about?'

"Diana, listen to me carefully"

And then her mother told her an insane story, about how Diana was the champion of the gods, how she had been blessed by them to bring justice and order in man's world, and about her numerous gifts and abilities…

Diana contemplated this and slowly replied,

"Do you want to see a Doctor, Mother?"

Her mother, slightly upset by this statement, held out a box, shining with light. Slowly, Diana opened it and saw 3 things. One was a suit or costume of sorts which Diana was kind of weirded out about, it looked so odd. Red and Blue, with silver lined plates of metal. It looked intimidating.

The second was a shining rope that was glowing golden. Diana bit her lip nervously.

The third was a gemstone, shining with pale yellow light. It had a symbol inscribed into it, which sort of looked like an eagle, or two W's right on top of each other. Diana frowned and looked up at her mother.

"What are these?"

"They are what you are, Diana."

"I don't understand?"

Her mother lifted up the gemstone and said "Forgive me, Diana..."

Diana, confused, didn't even register her mother smashing the gemstone upon her head, and slowly she passed out…

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**A/N-Well that was mildly unsatisfying. I hope you guys (And Gals) liked it though...**

**Next up- The 15 year old Bruce Wayne. Lets see if he's not as dumb as he looks...**


	4. Chapter 4- Batman

**A/N- Nananananananananana BATMANN. Okay, Im lame. :)**

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**CHAPTER 4- BATMAN**

Bruce Wayne disliked his public image. He hated the constant underestimation of his abilities. He despised the dumbass persona. He was none of these. He was 15, sure, but a hell of a lot faster or stronger than anyone in his grade. He couldn't show it though... He would stand out too much. Day, he went to school, pretending to learn what they were teaching him, and talking to people as if he was their friend.

Night was a different matter. He had been training since the day his parents died. He had become strong, agile, and stealthy. Night time was his realm. The Batman would patrol the city...

The only person knew his secret was Clark Kent. Kent was an odd one. Bruce noticed it the day he joined the school in 8th grade. Both Bruce and Clark were socially bored, and understood more about everyone else than everyone did about them.

It had taken only 3 weeks before Clark told Bruce he knew his secret. It had been an ordinary day until lunch time. Bruce had been leaning on the gym door walls, hitting on half the girls in his class. As the lunch period drew to a close, Clark had walked up to him and waved. Bruce had squinted at him.

"Do I know you, weirdo?"

Clark grasped his arm and whispered in his ear "You can stop the façade, Bruce, I know about Batman." Bruce was taken aback momentarily.

"_We_ need to talk, Kent"

Clark nodded. "Where?"

"Do you like football?"

Bruce had invited Clark to come to their matches.

Clark had tried to play, but ended up breaking his arm. Afterwards, in the hospital, Bruce had talked to him.

"You aren't very good at football are you."

"You can see that, Wayne."

"It's Bruce. Now talk, Kent. How do you know."

"You're not the only smart one."

"No, I'm not, but this is something completely off left field. Why you ask? Because no one even knows the Batman is real. They assume him to be an urban legend. How do you know"

"I guessed"

"I'm going to need better than that, Kent."

"I told you, I guessed. Your physique, your image, all seemed to fit. Plus the facts that you have dark circles, and no one knows where you go at night, not even your _foster _father...Honestly, what type of cover is that? Alfred does not look like your father. Your parents were murdered by criminals. It's only fair that you'd want revenge. Also, I happen to know a certain Wayne Enterprises in Gotham City, which explains the resources. Two and two dont make three, Bruce."

"I needed moderation. A basic apartment complex seemed like the perfect location. I need to get stronger before I can take down crime in Gotham...I don't suppose you know where to find me, do you, _smartass?_" Even with all of his maturity and intelligence as the Bat, he still had a sarcastic sense of humour.

"Okay, Wayne. I'm giving you some friendly advice. Now people might say you're too young for this. But I don't agree with them, I believe you are capable, but there is a constant danger, you might get hurt."

"Okay, _Kent. _There is danger in playing football too, but you don't seem to have a problem in me doing that. Why do you care anyway? It's me risking _MY _life, not yours. It's not football. But you would know better about the dangers of kicking a ball around, wouldn't you."

Clark sighed.

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From that day onwards, Clark would come to Bruce's "Bat cave" every day after school. The Batman worked in a massive cavern directly underneath the apartment complex. Bruce had dug out the location in secret, using his advanced technology. He liked the dark...It reminded him of the Cave underneath Wayne Manor...

He had first gotten inspiration to become Batman when he had fallen into that cave as a child. The idea that Bats could strike fear into the hearts of grown men gave him some sort of clue as to what symbol would terrify criminals. Clark often questioned his motives, but Bruce was determined to bring justice to Gotham. The Batman would go on patrol, and Clark would stay behind, monitoring and guiding him, reluctantly. He wanted to make a difference as well.

They quickly evolved into a working schedule. School in the day, Patrols in the night. Occasionally, Bruce would be too tired to patrol, and Clark would hesitatingly take the costume and scare what criminals he could, though never trying to fight them as he was physically extremely weak, even for a 15 year old. Bruce appreciated his efforts and would regularly anonymously donate money to his Parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent. Clark never liked this, but the Wayne fortune was not reduced in the least by such a small sum.

On this day, Clark and Bruce met up and Bruce suited up for Patrol.

"So, Bruce, how was your Date with Selina? Is she any good as your previous lovers?"

"Interesting."

"Interesting how?"

"Clark, while I appreciate the light banter, there is a robbery happening at a bank somewhere, or an innocent getting mugged. I have to go"

"Whatever you say."

Bruce pulled the cowl over his face and opened the doors to the batmobile. He was about to jump inside when he hesitated. _Clark doesn't deserve to be this lonely...I have to know why he would push Karen away like that..._"Clark...what happened between you and Karen?"

"No light banter, remember." _You little..._

Bruce scowled as he revved the ignition and pulled the car into reverse, driving out of the underground entrance to the bat cave. He would have to talk to Clark when he got back.

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**A/N-Introduction of Batman, and the scrawny Clark Kent...I like the idea of Kent being an odd one before getting his powers...**

**Anyway, I'm pretty satisfied with this chapter and I really hope you enjoyed it as well.**

**Coming up next is the enigma's "reincarnation". I took the liberty of making a few creative changes...**


	5. Chapter 5- (S)

**A/N- He's not quite what you would think...**

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**CHAPTER 5- ORIGIN _S_**

**KRYPTON**

Jor-El inserted the codex into the machine and activated the launch mechanism. His child would reach earth with the abilities of a god. The Yellow Sun would give him great power. He would be the last son of Krypton...

He kissed his son goodbye, and the newborn cried out. As he saw the launch begin, Jor-El turned to stop the military from stopping the launch. General Zod marched into the room, clearly angry. Jor-El would have stopped him, but a tremor went through the ground, and the room shook. Krypton's core was collapsing. Reaching out to grab Zod, he didn't even feel the cold blade in his back. The knife slipped through his heart. Zod cancelled the launch. The ship moved downwards, the boy, Kryptons first natural birth in millennia, crying out as the ship crashed into the building. Zod laughed maniacally as he slit its throat.

"Heresy, Jor-El. You suffer for it. And now Krypton is doomed forever...where were you planning to send him...?"

Checking the co-ordinates, he smirked…S_uch a primitive planet._ His next target after slaughtering the Cathar, Krypton's natural enemies. He exited the chamber, a smile on his lips, only to find the Kryptonian high council waiting for him, ready to banish him to the phantom zone.

Something happened then that Zod did not intend. As the baby, Kal-El's, life faded away, the AI, possessed by Jor-El's consciousness, downloaded its Kryptonian Genetic Code into the command key and re-initiated launch. He was giving a chance to Earth. The codex would choose...

One Man to use the Power of Krypton and the soul of his son to save the planet Earth.

The ship launched, and Krypton imploded...The only survivors in the phantom zone. **Zod.**

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**EARTH-**

Clark Kent. That was his name. His family, Jonathan and Martha Kent, were not the best parents in the world…they disliked his nature, they believed him to be slightly insane...Clark didn't understand what the world wanted from him. He wanted to do something more. His whole life he had been a recluse and a loner. To be able to make a difference in this world he was satisfied for the first time in his life.

Clark monitored Bruce's vitals and discovered a slight elevation in pulse. _He's probably mad I didn't want to talk about Karen._ The truth was, Clark had let her go. Karen was an amazing person, but she toyed with Clark's emotions and feelings, never really wanting to return the same as Clark felt. In the end, he was getting hurt more than he should. So he had to break it off before one of them got hurt. He did. She was perfectly happy now. And He returned to being the loner.

He understood as well why Diana hated him. He found her interesting. She was not what she thought she was, that was certain. There was something about her that was not normal, and Clark could sense it. He had to find out what.

Unfortunately, Hal had taken the assumption that Clark was hitting on her. That could lead to trouble, of course. What was even more unfortunate was that that might be true. He _was_ actually extremely interested in her, more than he should have been. They say 15 is young to use words like love, but Clark was mature beyond his years...He didnt know whether what he felt for Diana was that, but he was attracted to her. He understood why, she was amazingly beautiful, strong, and her personality was fiery. Almost the opposite of his. He was scrawny, weak and had the most boring personality ever.

Or so the rest of the world thought. In his blog, he felt free to be who he truly was, the most precocious teenager to have ever lived. And he knew it. People called him insane. He was the type that would stay up at night thinking about useless things such as why is water blue? Or why is this universe? Why does nothing ever fall in place for humanity to resolve their issues and have freedom and will to be as creative as they wish? Why am I?

Why?

Why?

WHY?

He knew no one in the world would bother to question the very basis of human existence, but he did. Day after day after day. And frankly, it terrified him. To see that there was nothing out there. No end. VOID.

And he was 15. 15 years old, and he already understood there was no point to life. But he made it his mission to make others lives happy. He understood that his personal happiness was impossible as long as he was paranoid and constantly questioning, but he didn't want others to experience that. He wanted to make a difference in their naïve happiness's. But he was weak, young, and constantly undermined and underestimated. He had no peace.

Helping Bruce was the most he could do.

The system displayed Bruce's vitals sparking. His heart rate was 190?! _That's not right.._. Clark sat straight and attempted to communicate to Bruce.

"Bruce? Are you there?"

"Clark, Stay Inside, there's a storm. Find shelter. There's something big coming"

Clark panicked. "Where are you!?"

"Stay inside, Kent. I'm warning you, don't come out here. You'll die"

"So will you if I don't"

"Then I die."

"Damnit Wayne, you're 15! What the hell do you mean 'Then I die' "

"I've lived enough"

"So have I, Bruce, but that's no excuse to be dumb. You want to join your parents so soon without avenging them?"

_Maybe that was a little uncalled for..._Bruce didn't respond, and Clark hit the monitor. It cracked, a long, thin scar running through the glass. Irritated, he glanced at the co ordinates of the Batmobile. They were about a mile from the cave. _I'll run..._Clark decided. And he did. When he finally reached, he was panting, tired and worn out as the rain was freezing him. He found Bruce lying on the ground, cowl removed, under a streetlight. A few houses down, he saw a broken lamppost in the figure of a man. "Bruce! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. The weather, Clark. The Batmobile exploded. It got struck by lightning. The glass shattered and my ribs are broken."

"That's not fine, you moron!"

"Shut up, Kent. Now help me get up"

In that moment, several things occurred. The street light above their heads burst open and glass rained on them. Clark shielded Bruce but the glass entered his back. The lightning struck the remains of the lamppost, blowing Bruce away, and he passed out.

Clark, holding on to his life, struggled towards him. Then, as he limped, a Shining Red and Blue light entered his chest, and he fainted, the supernova of light speaking to him before he passed out- "_YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO BE KRYPTON'S LAST LIGHT. THE LAST OF THE HOUSE OF EL. KAL. KAL-El, YOU WILL SAVE THIS WORLD."_

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**A/N- Well that was interesting...I enjoyed writing that chapter. Quite a bit actually. I hope you dont mind the mess I made... It will be explained in the following chapters. :) Enjoy.**

**Next up, Lantern awakens.**


	6. Chapter 6- GL

**A/N-A Lantern chapter here, a short one…**

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**CHAPTER 6- AWAKENING OF THE LANTERN**

Hal's eyes jolted open, and he gasped for breath. Looking around at his surroundings, he slowly panicked, remembering the events leading to his unconsciousness. "Where am I?"

He stood up and as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he realized he was in an unfamiliar location. It looked like…a cave or something…..

He felt the walls and they rippled, as if it was an illusion. "What the…" Hal stepped back, and shouted out. "HELLO?"

There was a grumbling noise and then a sleeping hulk that Hal had not noticed slowly awoke, and the room/cave whatever it was began to shudder.

Hal was nervous, and he tried to move backwards, away from the hulk. He tripped on the floor, landing on his back. Trying desperately to shift back, he shuffled.

The hulk stood straight, and Hal could make out an alien face. It spoke, voice growling scarily "Hal Jordan. Welcome to the Green Lantern Corps."

Hal blinked. "The what?"

"You are now a member of an intergalactic police force. The ring on your finger is the power ring given to all initiates chosen by it."

"The ring…chose me?" Hal glanced at the ring on his finger. It was glowing green with energy. It felt alive. "What have you done to me?"

"I didn't do anything, idiot. The ring chose you. I hope it chose right. You seem to be just a kid…"

"Hey, I may be just a kid, but if you're underestimating me, I'll be real happy to prove you wrong."

Kilowog grunted, as if satisfied about something.

"Alright, Kid. Let's go."

"Where?"

Kilowog transfigured his uniform on to him, and had the outpost fade. Hal jumped back. "WE Are on the MOON?!"

Kilowog laughed, a rough, harsh noise. "You're about to see much more than that."

Hal gulped, as Kilowog used his power ring to create a ball of light, capturing Hal inside it. Hal's eyes widened. "Where are you taking me?"

"To Oa. To see the guardians."

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**So that's that… Hal's now off to Oa. The separation has begun and this story is finally off to a start. Next up, Diana awakens…**


	7. Chapter 7- WW

**A/N- Another short one here…I've noticed that I write small chapters….but I update often so at least I keep the story going, huh…Anyway, here's Diana.**

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**CHAPTER 7- AWAKENING OF THE AMAZON**

Diana sat up, groaning in pain. Her head was throbbing, but the rest of her felt fine. Almost too fine. She stood up suddenly and the flow of blood to her head made her momentarily dizzy. When the haze faded, Diana struggled to focus on her surroundings. Shaking her head, the events leading to her fainting slowly recollected in her memory. "Mother…" she whispered, Venom in her mouth.

Glancing at her surroundings, Diana observed that she seemed to be in some sort of Greek garden, of sorts. The field was filled with strawberries. She frowned, realizing this wasn't her city. She looked down and gasped. "The costume?"

Her mother had changed her…Diana blushed, a deep red flushing her cheeks, and glanced around, searching for anyone around who would see her in this _ridiculous_ costume. It was a blue, red and silver outfit, with blue gloves and boots, silver gauntlets and a red and blue waist. Diana felt her forehead and revealed a gleaming silver tiara. _I must look like a…_ she shuddered to think of what people would think if they saw her. _What would HAL think?..._

She angrily stamped the ground in frustration, and saw the earth had cracked, leaving a distinct impression of her foot. She stepped back, surprised to see her own strength. "What mother said was true?!" she thought, feeling the golden rope tied in a loop by her torso. She pulled it out and swung it around, and was shocked to see the length was almost limitless! She pulled it back, and it shrunk back to normal size.

"The Golden Lasso of Truth. It enforces anyone bound within it to tell no lies…"

Diana spun around. She had gotten so distracted she had not noticed her mother's return.

"What did you to do me, Mother?"

"This is who you are, Diana. I locked away your true power in the gemstone. You will bring balance to Man's world, but you had to learn of it before."

"I am not a…a…_Bringer of balance_ like you say I am, I am a 14 year old girl, who wants to go back home, to her friends, and doesn't want any of this power!"

Hippolyta sighed. "Diana, we are on the isle of paradise, Themyscira. Here you will receive training and learn the full extent of your powers."

"But I don't want that, Mother! I want to go back home to Lois and Hal and Barry and Victor and all my other friends!"

"Diana, stop behaving like a child! You are a Woman, now! Act like it! A Warrior bringing balance to Man's world. That is your destiny, and you have to accept that. This conversation will not be continued."

Diana screamed, pounding her fists into the ground, leaving a small crater in the soil. Hippolyta shook her head. "You are powerful, but you have much to learn. Come with me."

Hippolyta took Diana's arm and pulled her along, to a small field by the garden, where Diana could hear the shouting and commotion of the Amazonian training going on. She stopped and sat down on the ground. Hippolyta pulled her up.

"Listen, my dearest, you can do amazing things…Amazing things….But you need to control your power so others do not get hurt. Then you may return to Man's World" Hippolyta talked of Man's world as if it was a horrible place…but It was Diana's home…and she did not like being taken away from it.

Sighing, she followed her mother to the large pavilions, where some young girls were sparring, wearing similar clothes as she was, but less colored and shiny. As they walked by them, they bowed down to Hippolyta and called her queen. Then, they smiled at Diana happily, and there was a large chorus of "Welcome back to Themyscira, Princess!"

Diana frowned. Princess…that had been Hal's latest nickname for her. Gods, she missed him…

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**I took influence here from the nu52/new52 (whatthehellsitcalled? Im pretty sure new52) Wonder Woman. The outfit of hers I really liked in JL-War and Throne of Atlantis, so I'm going to use that one, not the traditional golden one. I hope you fans don't mind too much, I'm sure a lot of you like the n52 WW as well. Also, I know in the 52 there is a Superman/WW pairing, but don't worry about it.**

**I know I haven't developed much on the WW/Batman, but please, _please _be patient. Next up, Bats and Kent get back to the cave, and some interesting developments occur…**


	8. Chapter 8- Batman

**A/N-Nothing to say, really, just hope you enjoy the chapter. And yes, i know the idea of a 15 year old Batman sounds a bit dumb, but like i said, its just kicking off and there a lot of time skips.**

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**CHAPTER 8- BATMAN**

Bruce lifted Clark's unconscious body into the batmobile. Clark was injured extremely badly, with a wicked glass shard sticking out in front of his ribs, and a broken jaw, most likely. Not to mention several other possibly shattered bones. Bruce hauled his friend in the seat next to him and started the engine.

The Mobile, now roofless, still roared in response. The time was 1 AM Standard time, and Clark's parents would be worried. They were not supportive of Clark being a social person and definitely would not like that he had snuck out at 1 AM, or that he had possibly fatal injuries. Bruce pulled into the underground entrance to the batcave, and parked the batmobile. Dragging Clark's body, he lifted him up and set him upon the makeshift bed. The "bed" was a mattress with a white sheet upon it, and nearby an IV and other medical equipment Clark had used to treat Bruce when injured. Now it was Bruce's turn.

Using the forceps, he slowly pulled out the smaller glass pieces. He had to be quick before the wounds got infected. The larger glass, there was the problem of possible major blood loss. Trying to be as quick as possible, he measured Clark's pulse and noticed it ebbing. _Damn it Kent, stay with me. _He gripped the large piece and felt Clark shift his weight in pain. He was awake.

He groaned, several times, but never once said a word, throughout the procedure. As Bruce removed the large pieces, he noticed that Clark's bleeding was minimal. He wiped away the blood and saw the wounds were immediately sealing. _Metasis. He's not human anymore. _Clark groaned and fell off the bed. Bruce lifted him back up and took a small vial of blood. _Interesting…_

Clark drowsily said Bruce's name. Bruce spoke quickly. "I'm giving you a sedative, you should rest."

Truthfully, there was no need for one, but Batman had to be sure that his new Meta abilities did not alter his mind in unpredictable ways, or if they were dangerous. He was also unsure how the sedative would affect him, but he was willing to take that small risk, if only to protect Clark. He inserted the needle slowly into the scrawny thin arm of his friend. It barely went inside, it looked as if Clark's skin had become like leather. _He's got some thick skin._ Bruce noticed that this would be more beneficial than harmful.

Taking the vial of blood, he went over to the scanners and waited for a result. Meanwhile, he scanned the news and used his satellites to locate other similar incidents. Several came up. Disappearances of several people, unpredictable lightning strikes, and other unusual meteorological phenomena which might have been caused by entry of something unnatural into the atmosphere, something large enough to influence the weather, Bruce reasoned. _Or something else…_

Bruce was not one to believe in magic, but he had come across some pretty crazy things on his nightly escapades as the Batman. And this storm was far from normal. It was centralized to this city, and there were no reports of other phenomena within a 100mile radius. Bruce had some suspicions. _This might have been the work of that Meta from Central City, that "Weather Wizard". _But it seemed unlikely he could create something of this magnitude. And besides, he was known only for robbing banks, he seemed satisfied with that. _Maybe he finally wants something more… _

The Batman would have to investigate. Sighing, Bruce made himself some coffee. _15 years old, and already a vigilante. _He was too young for this, Alfred had told him. But Bruce had been training since the day he realized that crime was not going to stop until they were afraid of justice. He had trained in different parts of the world, learning all forms of hand to hand combat, weapons training, and several elite skills known only to a select few ninjas in the northern Himalayas. He was so young at the time, 12 years old, when he came across this cave, and saw the bats…the Batman was an idea that stuck with him ever since.

And he had become it. The night and the shadow. Clark Kent was his friend, and companion, and even a guide…his intelligence was beyond even Bruce's, it was a well known fact that he was a genius, it showed in his blog, but people shied away from him…he was a bit of an enigma.

But he wanted to make a difference in this world. He had never told anyone except Bruce…but Clark had been mistreated, misjudged and constantly underestimated his whole life. He may have been physically weak, but Clark Kent was a mental colossus. He upgraded several systems in the batcave, and he would often ask if modifications were necessary to the batmobile or the bat suit or some other gadget…Clark had even designed the batarang, a solid black metal blade shaped like a bat, with a wide range of functional utilities, explosive, tracking, and more.

_Don't you die on me now, Kent. _The scanner beeped, notifying that the scan had been completed. Glancing over the readings, Bruce's eyes slowly widened. There was a DNA source that had attached itself to Clark's genes. It did not show up as any DNA from anything on earth. Alien. And it was a complex code too, with different sets of genes binding to individual DNA strands. The complex had stuck so rigidly to the double helix, it was now a long cylindrical shape. Clark's whole genetic makeup had been altered, by an outside source. The DNA contained traces of an unknown compound, whose chemical structure was unlike anything Bruce had ever seen. He ran a cross search on the internet and found that scientists had found traces of this new chemical, which was highly radioactive, near the corners of the south pole. There had been reports of a crash in those parts, probably a government satellite. The team that had gone to investigate, had been unable to locate the crash site, but had observed unnatural meteorological phenomena around the area, with strange greenish clouds. The scientists had written this off to be the result of some shift in the magnetic flux surrounding the poles, but Bruce knew better.

The scientists had been present when the greenish clouds snowed onto the Antarctic earth. They collected this green snow and observed traces of this new chemical, a radioactive isotope of Krypton? But that was a noble gas…

Bruce read on. The radioactive isotope of Krypton had chemically bonded to the crystal complex of the water in the snow and the other elements in the Antarctic air to produce green glowing crystals, which the scientists were now labeling **Kryptonite.** Bruce saw that there was a distinct similarity between the makeup of the chemical in Clark's blood and the Kryptonite, but they were not exactly the same. _So it was an alien ship…but why choose Clark? _Bruce pondered on this for a while, but soon heard shuffling behind him, and he saw that Clark was going to wake up. He quickly shut down the computer and went behind a sectional panel in the bat cave's wall, which not even Clark knew about. It was a secret room which held a highly sentimental value to Bruce as it was filled with his parents' belongings. Quickly shutting the door behind him, he pressed a button on the wall to allow a panel of one sided glass to open, allowing him to see Clark as he awoke. _Now then, Kent, let's see if you are still human…_

The Bat gripped his batarang, as Clarks eyes jolted open.

* * *

**Okay, I know, I know… I butchered the whole Kryptonite thing and the whole DNA matrix stuff must have been extremely boring, but I quite liked this chapter, It gives a lot of detail as to how the human Clark Kent is going to get Kryptonian powers.**

**I'm seeing a lot of plot convenience happening as well but I hope that none of you mind, because after all, this whole story is built on plot convenience, I mean seriously, what are the odds of the entire League (Or at least the 7) going to the same school? But I wanted to play around with the idea that they have history. The others aren't too fond of Bruce and Kent, are they…haha.**

**I'm enjoying writing this so much, I dont mind much for favorites or follows or whatever, but I do love support, and feedback, after all, I'm writing this so you guys can give me ideas. so PLEASE REVIEW! I have a basic plot and story, but the devils in the details, you know? Now enough of my blabbering, im annoying you as Clark does Diana.**

**Next up, you should be able to guess… _S_**


	9. Chapter 9- (S)

**CHAPTER 9- AWAKENING _S_**

Clark's eyes shot open, an odd sensation sweeping through his bones, like a liquid fire. He felt as if someone had made him drink glass shards. The ground felt odd, like syrup. He tried to stand up straight, but his knees wouldn't hold. His ears hurt. There was a constant ringing that he couldn't get out of focus. A cacophony of noise surrounded his senses, overwhelming his brain. He screamed out in agony and felt a small pinprick in his side. He pulled out a batarang. _If there is anyone who can help me right now, it's Bruce…_

He looked around and saw that his friend had deserted him. Clark fell to his knees, the ringing voices overwhelming him. He opened his eyes and saw blurry images everywhere, the outlines of objects and he could see everything around and inside them. He could see everything. _Everything._ Down to the tiniest detail. The cellular makeup of a bat flying above his head, the grooves on a stalactite too fine for observation, and every single scratch on the batmobile as well as its insides and chassis. His brain almost shut down as he tried and failed repeatedly to isolate his vision. Closing his eyes, he felt heat rush to his forehead, and from within he felt a raw, primal power that he could not control. The energy forced his eyes open and he felt waves of heat destroy everything he and Bruce had worked so hard to achieve.

Falling to the ground as the energy faded, Clark wept, overcome with emotion that he had not let himself unleash, ever. This was a side of him that no one had ever seen. Not even Bruce.

The Batman was currently observing Clark's Meta developments and analyzing how to bring him under control. The Krypton complex in his DNA had augmented Clark's power and gave him amazing abilities. Bruce was sure that Clark was the strongest Meta he had ever come across. If only he could control his power…

Clark hit the ground in frustration and the bat cave shook in protest. Astonished at his own power, Clark tried to clear his mind to focus on what was going on. _You are better than this. _He pushed out the noise, isolating himself to the surroundings, but the cacophony was still there, only muted. He would have to get used to that…

Sighing, he tried to do the same for his vision, and repeatedly failed, getting a headache every time, but eventually he succeeded in clearing his sight. Exhausted, he fell on his knees, slowly, to avoid damaging the batcave further. Bruce, still hesitant to approach, remained in his location.

Clark lied down, feeling the drain of energy sapping his body. He wondered what else he could do. He would have to find out. _Away from the city._

Standing up, Clark shook his head. _THE NOISE! STOP! _Looking over, he saw the batmobile was trashed. He would run, then. Clark liked running.

Closing his eyes for a moment to filter the sights and sounds, Clark stepped forward to run and ended up 50 meters from where he was standing, in less than half a second. _Super speed as well…_ He opened the door to the cave and bolted out, rushing by traffic and tearing apart the asphalt.

Bruce scanned Clark before he left, and saw the speedometer read 550mph. Stepping over the ruined equipment, he went over to the computer and noticed an odd change in the DNA matrix. The DNA was sapping energy from the light sources in the cave, as less as they were, but he saw the matrix shift every time the light shifted. The DNA strands would temporarily rearrange themselves to be closer to the double helix when there was a lack of light, but even a little light was enough to charge the matrix to become cylindrical once more. _Interesting…yellow light seems to supercharge the alien DNA…Clark will be at least twice as strong by the morning…_

Clark was running, and it was the most exhilarating sensation he had ever felt in his life. He felt like he was unstoppable. The noises just blurred by him, and he didn't have to focus too hard to get them out. He could barely make out which streets he was on, but he knew he only had to run in one direction to reach outside the city. His rented home was for him only, because his parents lived outside the city, on a small farm in a place called Smallville. He was not heading in that direction, of that he was sure, but he had to get to somewhere open where he could see the full extent of his powers without anyone getting hurt. As the city wisped behind him, Clark was smiling…_Could I finally make a difference in this world?_

All that hinged upon whether he could bring his powers under control, or whether they were permanent or not. The words he had heard before passing out kept ringing in his head. _THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON. _What did that mean? _KAL-EL?_ He needed answers. But first, he had some experimenting to do.

He sighed, smiling as the city finally ended and he reached open fields and rural areas. Glad to stop, he breathed deeply, inhaling and exhaling with slow movements of his chest, which was as thin as ever_…guess no six packs, huh…bummer. _The characters in the comics he used to read always seemed to get abs after getting their powers.

Coming to a complete stop near a large field of grass, Clark saw a boulder about twice his size which had rolled down from the hill next to the field. He went over to it, and punched it, taking care to moderate his power; he didn't want to be noticed. But even with that much force, the boulder still shattered in two, a distinct impression of a fist in its side. And Clark hadn't felt a thing. Not even a scratch. His eyebrows shot up. _Guess here body mass doesn't apply to strength…_

He tried to lift the pieces, which were each around 5 and half feet tall, and smiled when he found them to be lighter than feathers. The implication was not lost on him. It would be hard to go back to his normal life, living in a world of glass, where everything would shatter around him, fragile, weak…

He thought of Diana, and sighed. There was no chance that he would ever get anything from that path, first Hal's imposing presence, now his powers. Clark felt resentment at first, but then realized that maybe it was for the best. Letting the pieces fall to the ground, he closed his eyes for a moment, and then clenched his teeth, letting the sounds flow in. Filtering through them, he realized that it was not noise, but voices, of people, and a million other sounds to weak for normal human's ears to perceive. Clark could hear everything. He opened his eyes and let the x-ray vision take effect. The excess of sensation proved too much for him to handle, and he forced his vision to revert. Blinking back tears, he realized that that would be a useful tool, being able to see through anything.

Then a wave of fatigue rippled through him, and unable to keep his eyes open, he passed out, for the second time that day.

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**I loved this chapter, personally. I'm going to try and focus on individual development. Clark Kent is an amazing character, and when there is an opportunity to make him badass, he becomes awesomer still. Again here I'm taking influence from the n52 where Clark is more of a dick (Sorry for the language) than in other adaptations, but his heart is in the right place.**

**About the Superman suit, yes yes, patience.**

**And the whole Zod thingy, I'll let it play out, I'm having too much fun with this. As always, I appreciate reviews and follows/favorites, any sort of feedback. Suggestions are welcome and I will try to incorporate as much as I can into the story.**


	10. Chapter 10- Batman

**A/N- A really short one here. Got kinda stuck so I couldnt write more. But the next chapter will be longer, I promise. I appreciate the feedback from CrazyPhenom who has reviewed twice, giving me a good outlook on where I'm being non informative to the readers. And yes, probably most likely pre n52 and post 52 elements... Basically trying to incorporate the best of the character. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Cheers,**

**ZoSo7MoS**

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**CHAPTER 10- BATMAN**

Batman glanced over the readings again. _Interesting. _The power that could be stored in the blood was immense. He had used the Yellow Light Radiation to almost "ultracharge" the DNA. The blood was now glowing, giving off a steady brightness. Bruce kept it in cryo-storage and started looking for Clark on his own satellite, an experimental device Bruce had launched into orbit at age 9.

The monitor pinged his location at 30miles out of the city, and he wasn't moving. Bruce suspected the energy from his body had been absorbed by the new DNA, and he needed glucose shots, or Yellow Sun Radiation. _He's probably fainted. _Bruce told himself.

He looked over at the trashed batmobile and sighed. Changing into normal clothes, he went up to the surface, the elevator dropping him a few meters from the gate of the complexes. He knocked on the door of his "house", really just empty rooms except for one, Alfred's. Tapping his feet, Bruce waited.

_Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap._

The door opened. A cross looking Alfred stood in pyjamas, his usual suit and tie probably in his cupboard. "Master Bruce, It is 3AM. And you have broken ribs. Where is Mr. Kent, may I ask?"

"Alfred, get the car ready, we need to move."

"Very well."

Alfred went inside, picking up the car keys and quickly changing into something less informal, a shirt and neatly ironed pants. Bruce ran to the car, a classic BMW 3series. Jumping in the front seat, he put his hand out for the keys.

Alfred did not move, instead saying. "Master Bruce, You are injured."

Grumbling, Bruce shifted to the back seat. "Hurry. Here are the coordinates." He said handing a small tablet screen to Alfred as the older man shifted the car into a higher gear, revving the engine. Alfred nodded and drove the car out of the complex gate, the security guard there opening it quizzically.

As Alfred drove the car at a steady pace towards the location out of town, Bruce let his thoughts wander. _Maybe I'm not cut out for this, Maybe Batman isn't supposed to be a hero…_ No?

_You push and push the limits of what it means to be human. You take justice into your own hands, yet you are but a child, what do you know of justice? What experience do you have? NOTHING. You are a delusional teenage vigilante who his bent on trying to be something bigger than you are. You have no friends, except one, and heavy psychological trauma. Why do it? _

_In fields of paperwhite, with the dark throne in your sight, you are the night. _

_**Because someone has to.**_

The soft patter of rain fell on the car windows. Bruce looked out of the window, and saw a desolate world. Crime, corruption. Humanity has been tainted. _I've had enough pretending I don't exist. Time to let the world know that the Batman is out there. _And Bruce had a perfect location to do it as well. The most crime filled and corrupt city of them all. His hometown, where Alfred had taken him away from, to allow him to heal from the death of his parents. But it hadn't worked. _Take me back to the place I call home._

Bruce nodded to himself, making up his mind.

_After I find Clark, I am going back._

_My home. _

_The place I belong. _

_**Gotham**__._

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**Batman is off to Gotham...but what will happen to Kal/Clark?**

**...**


	11. Chapter 11- (S)

**Longest chapter yet, and the beginning of something titanic.**

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**CHAPTER 11- (S)**

Clark sat up on the bed in the middle of the room. As his vision focused, he saw he was home. _Smallville. _And he knew very well how he got here. _Bruce. _Clark stood on the ground, still that jelly feeling clinging to it. He took a step forward and felt the house groan in protest. _Tiptoe, then. _He walked downstairs, where his mother, Martha Kent, was looking at him nervously.

"Are you alright? Your friend said you got hit by a car, but somehow I don't think he was telling the truth…"

Clark almost smiled. His mother was very observant and difficult to fool. But not for him.

"You're right, Ma, he was lying. Actually he's the Batman and we went out fighting crime together after football. And I'm the Batman's tech specialist; I go to his "batcave" everyday."

Martha blinked once, then again. "Okay, Clark. Do you know the license plate number of the car that hit you? And why was I not immediately informed?"

"Sorry Ma. I guess we forgot."

Martha bit her lip. "Well at least you're alright." She hugged him tightly. "But you're as pale as a ghost. Go outside and get some sunlight."

Clark didn't say anything as he walked outside. The moment the sunlight hit him, he felt rejuvenated. And the voices started again, even louder than the previous day. Clark brought himself under control and went down to see his father, Jonathan, who was working the field, being careful not to use his full speed. Clark was a secretive person by nature, and this felt like something that could put other people in danger if they knew, so he decided not to tell them. His father nodded at him, and looked down, continuing to work the field. Clark stared at his shoes, which were completely destroyed from yesterday's running, and kept walking. He didn't expect a heartfelt talk. His father was a very conservative person, and disliked talking about his or anyone else's feelings. This had caused plenty of fights in the household, his mother asking for a little bit more attention to herself and Clark and Jonathan being more loving. Clark would never interfere in these fights, preferring to stay upstairs in his room, not knowing whose side to take.

His mother loved him very much, but she was unnerved by her son. Clark's blog posts she had read, and was scared. No child should be this stressed and concerned about the worlds on goings. Children were supposed to have carefree lives. Clark had heard his mother asking his father to take him to a specialist several times, but his father always gruffly said "He's fine! Quit smothering him!"

Clark would pretend he was oblivious of this. Even in school, past mistakes made him trust no one. He had a major crush on Lois Lane for a year and a half, before he finally told her he liked her. She said "So?" He had blinked back tears in front of her friends, quietly walking away. Then the guys. They didn't like him at all, talking nicely to him in front of him, but back talking all the time. Clark didn't care, but his reputation had been torn to shreds. The rumors were unstoppable. Clark had eventually given up. In 9th, he had first met Diana. She openly hated him because of the rumor that Clark had asked out Lois Lane every day for 3months. Clark made attempts to make her trust him, telling her his secrets, opening up to her, but she felt nothing but annoyance and irritation, because he volunteered information whereas she did not. Clark tried to stop, but it had become a habit. Diana was his drug…

Until he met Karen. She was a year older than him, but Clark didn't mind. She seemed attracted to him, and would walk with him to his hostel where he stayed away from his parents. They liked the idea of sending Clark to a "boarding" school. Karen was a giggly person, and was difficult to hate. Clark flirted, almost kissed her once or twice, and she flirted back, but never wanting anything serious. She was afraid of the rumors and what people would "SAY" Clark didn't care, but he knew her reputation would go down if they dated. _It's all about damn image in today's society. What OTHER people think. _He hated it. Finally he resorted to almost cruel methods to teach her not to play with people's hearts. She had toyed with his emotions for too long. He told everyone that she had asked him to prom.

What happened next was a slap when they met next, a few brisk words of "NEVER TALK TO ME AGAIN!" and tears. That was 3 days ago, and Clark couldn't have thought it more insignificant. He had given up.

There comes a point in people's lives where they "give up", realizing that there is no such thing as true happiness. Normally, this happens when you reach 70 or 80. It was premature for Clark then. _The only way to staticity of the mind is through eradication of human emotion. _And he had done it. He had become…perfect. Emotions did not cloud his judgment, and he felt free. With his powers, now, he would help everyone. He would protect the innocent. He had been waiting for an opportunity like this almost his entire life, and now the universe had given him one on a silver platter. _No, not silver, one made of diamonds and gold. _

Clark took a deep breath, the rays of sun tickling his face as he reached the clearing of the farm, where the road began. There was a sign on the roadway, a broken, bent sign pointing down the tarmac.

**TO METROPOLIS- 70 MILES.**

Clark dug his heels into the ground and pushed off, running. His shoes burned and fell off, but the ground did not feel hot to him. It felt like he was running on water. The jelliness of the ground slowed him down a little, but Clark reached Metropolis in 6 minutes, tops.

He came to a stop, skidding on the ground, in front of a massive tower, with the words _DAILY PLANET_ etched on a giant globe on top of the building being held by a man who Clark could only presume was supposed to be Atlas, carrying the world.

He didn't know what he was doing here, but Clark quickly made sure no one was around to see him, and sped off again, deciding he would scour the city for people being mugged or murdered.

It wasn't hard to find a mugger with a knife in an alleyway in Metropolis' infamous Suicide Slums. Clark was about to take him down, but then realized his face wasn't covered. Trying his best to not be seen, he speedily picked up the mugger; accidently cracking his ribs, and shoved him head first into a nearby trashcan. The man being mugged, frightened, squealed and shakily tried to give his wallet to Clark. Clark turned around and said. "I'm just here to help, not to rob you." The man shakily replied "Th…thanks, kid…"

Clark sighed. _Kid? _He nodded and sped off, leaving an injured mugger to be disposed of by a man who was going to be mugged by him. Clark felt a smiling itching on his lips, and he let a small one slip by him, as he rushed around, looking for a new "victim"

He stopped, grinding the ground as he looked at a sweatshirt with a large Shield symbol sewn into it on display at a small run down store in the slums. The sweatshirt had a hoodie, so that was a good temporary fix. And the shield symbol looked cool too. It was a classic knight's shield, all yellow, and the hoodie was red. _A bit bright, but it'll do. _Clark walked slowly into the store, taking care not to break the door as he opened it. The push door creaked but thankfully held. _Careful…_

The store owner was an old lady, who looked bored and fed up with being a cashier. Clark hesitantly walked up to her and asked for the hoodie. "That'll be 10.95, kid."

_Again with the damn kid._ Clark smiled and handed her a 20 dollar bill, which he was surprised to find still in his jeans pocket, even after the previous day's events.

She gave him the hoodie and change, eyeing him suspiciously. "You gonna be okay out there, son? You do know you're in the suicide slums?"

Clark bit his lip nervously and pushed the door open to go out, but the door instead snapped off its handle and broke. He looked at the lady, who was looking at him pensively. "I'm sure you can handle yourself, young man. You be careful with all that power, though. Don't want too much attention."

Clark raised his eyebrows questioningly. The woman chuckled. "I've seen a lot of weirdo customers, kid, you ain't the first one. You paid your due, I'm happy. Don't worry about the door, go, kiddo!"

Clark gave her a true smile and sped off. _People will always confuse me…_ Clark grimaced.

Realizing he had been gone for a while, Clark turned to return to Smallville, but then decided against it. _They can't control me anymore. I don't want to hurt them by accident. I need a place. Somewhere I can truly gauge my strength without worrying about anyone in the way. _

Finding a telephone booth, he went inside and started dialing when he felt a hand cover his mouth and a rough pull out of the booth. The pull had taken Clark by surprise, so he wasn't ready for it, but the instant he regained his footing, the man could no longer pull him. The man smiled greedily and spoke, the smell of alcohol on his breath making Clark want to punch him.

"Sonny, your parents ain't around?" The man smiled. "You should be careful around these parts, y'know. Never know who might kidnap ya." The barely concealed hint in his words was enough incentive for Clark. The man hadn't yet realized the strength of his victim. Putting a hand on the man's wrist, Clark pulled his hand away from his mouth. "Yes, you never know when you might end up in jail, too." Clark smiled innocently, watching the man slowly come to a conclusion. He pulled out a gun and shakily pointed it at Clark. "Don't move, freak."

Clark wondered. _Could I survive that? Best not to risk it. _Moving too fast to even blink, he snatched the gun away and picked up the hefty man, speeding back to the store and tying him up with a rope on the store's floor. Slowing down, he saw the lady looking at him again. Rushing to explain himself, he quickly said "He tried to kidnap me. Then pulled out a gun." The old woman put one hand up.

"I didn't ask for an explanation. Now you run off and I'll call the cops. They'll want to know how an old gal like me caught this guy trying to rob the store." She said, a twinkle in her eye.

Clark nodded and sped back to the telephone. The tone rang once, then twice, before the other line picked up. Clark spoke quickly. "Bruce. Explanation and a free location to test out power."

The Bat spoke up on the other end. "Alien DNA bonding. Research conclusive to Antarctica. Scientists have located a crash site, but cannot find the ship. Go. Find out what's really going on."

Clark scoffed. "The south pole? Okay…By the way, Bruce, what about you…?"

"Im taking Gotham. The Bat has remained an urban legend in our town for too long. Time to make a difference."

"My thoughts exactly"

"Oh and Clark."

"Yes?"

"Don't contact me again."

"I know. Time for us to go our separate ways, huh."

"Goodbye for now, Kent."

"_Wayne." _Clark began, but the Batman had already kept the phone.

_DAMN HIM. _Clark gritted his teeth but then took a deep breath. _No, can't allow myself to lose control. _

He looked at the compass on his watch and faced south. _Just keep running?_

"Just keep running." He muttered.

Taking another deep breath, Clark raced south.

* * *

**Its pure AU, which explains Clark's parents being...different. They didn't guide him through his childhood and teach him to control his powers. They were just...there.**

**I know it seems like Clark has controlled his senses far too easily here, but remember, He is a lot better at controlling his emotions and thoughts/senses, due to years of vigorous mental training with Batman and his own ridiculous intellect.**

**The Badass will come. Soon.**

**This is a reallly realllllly drawn out story, and im focusing on the trinity as well as Lantern and Flash, and the original league's formation. There is also Captain Marvel/Shazam, Cyborg, and Aquaman (Stop groaning, Aquaman is coool) later on. I dont really think too far ahead but im guessing 50+ chapters? And before you laugh and say "Bullshit, This dumbass will probably give up by the 20th and add another half complete story to the thousands already here"**

**No.**

**If you have noticed so far, I update frequently and with sizable chapters. And I love writing. So not gonna stop halfway. Hope that that's enough info to gain maybe a few more followers?**


	12. Chapter 12- (S)

**A/N- A Decent sized chapter...**

* * *

**CHAPTER 12- (S)**

Clark dug his toes into the ground, pushing off from the coast, ripping on the water. He sighed with relief. He wasn't sure he could run over the water, but apparently it was just like running on the ground, only it felt even more syrupy than the dirt. He was using a little more energy, but that wasn't a problem, the sun was beating down on his face.

It hadn't been difficult to realize his powers were stemming from the sun. Using the evidence and the voice, he came to the conclusion that his genes had been altered by the aliens, which had given him the powers. He reckoned that the aliens came from a planet with a red sun, higher gravity and different atmosphere. That was why in the yellow sun, his cells fed on the energy, making him superpowered compared to other humans…

But he needed answers. _Why me? What are the Aliens trying to accomplish? Last Son of Krypton? What does that mean? _

The water splashed behind him, creating small waves as he ran towards the signal on his GPS. He had stopped at Coast City's WayneTech Enterprises, and had stolen a GPS locator, wired it directly to Bruce's personal satellite, so he could neither locate him nor catch him. And he knew the exact co-ordinates of the alien ship embedded in the ice.

He was skipping over ice now, leaping hundreds of yards in one jump, not wanting to risk slipping. He stopped close to a hundred yards near the scientists' campsite. He didn't feel cold at all, even though he was only wearing a thin white T-shirt and jeans. He crept behind the tents and quickly bolted towards the ice pack, which had settled in layers over the probe-like spaceship. He could see it through the cover.

Making sure he was not visible to the tents from the angle he was standing at, he used a quick burst of his heat vision to melt a small enough hole in the ice for him to lift the ship out. It was smaller than he anticipated, but still large, as big as two king sized beds lined up, and ten times as heavy. He groaned, struggling to force the nose of the ship out of the ice. He pulled the whole thing back with a jerk, and the ice broke apart, allowing him to lift the ship. He hoisted it up on his shoulder, gritting his teeth. _Why am I so damn bony? The ship is bending from where it's sitting on my shoulder... _

With 3 effort requiring jumps, he got the ship away from the camp. Quickly, he used the GPS technology to scramble the campsites communications. It was highly likely he had been noticed. But a quick see through with his vision told him otherwise. The temperature was too cold for the scientists to come outside and investigate every loud noise from outside. They probably assumed the ice had shifted. He had scrambled their scanners as well, so there was no data for them. He was clear. Now he returned his attention to the probe. _Time for some answers. _He forced open the ships metal exterior, and he found only three things. One was the power source for the ship, which was a pulsating fixed orb of dark energy, bending space around it. The second was a blanket, a silky smooth, long red blanket which had been used to wrap a baby. Clark could smell the distinctive odor of a small child…but there was no one there.

The blanket was empty. For some reason this disturbed him, but he pushed that away as he picked up the last item. It was a black metallic key drive. It looked like a crystal, but one end was smooth and shaped. In the interior of the diamond like structure, there was a defined _**S**_.

He held it in his palm, and felt a slight spark as the metal complex transferred data directly to his mind. Flurries, bits and pieces of images filtered through him, but he couldn't focus on them. The key grew unbearable, with too much incoming at once. He jammed it into his pocket.

He felt a warmth in the GPS, which had been in the same pocket. He pulled it out, and saw that the interface had completely changed. It was now a jumble of code and symbols…

Suddenly, the interface restarted, with new co-ordinates blinking in the menu. _Maybe the key is trying to tell me something…_

The screen flashed a message. **Follow the co-ordinates, Kal-El, and you will receive the answers you are searching for.**

He looked at the location and sighed. _Luck. Makes fools of us all._

The co-ordinates were in the Arctic Circle, on the other side of the globe. Muttering under his breath, Clark folded the blanket, which in-spite of its large size, fit neatly in his other pocket. The material was strong, thin, silky and the best cloth he had ever felt. He had to keep it.

Then, disposing of the ship in the ocean, he ran north, following the co-ordinates.

* * *

**2 DAYS LATER- ARCTIC CIRCLE**

He had gotten tired. He had rested one night on a park bench in Keystone City, halfway to the location. His stamina was immense, and the sun gave him power, but fatigue gripped him like a vice, gnawing at him. He had slept 12 hours. Rushing by a Restaurant, he had munched down a sandwich. A poor person who had been expectantly staring at the waitress bringing it to him had been amazed when he felt a gust of wind indoors and the sandwich vanished before he could even touch it. The restaurant didn't charge him.

But after a long boring while, he had finally reached the co-ordinates, and he was amazed. There was a massive ship inside the ice. It was similar to the other one, so he knew they came from the same location, but this one was different…older.

It had been here for centuries, at least. The ice cores in this place were thousands of years old. The aliens had visited Earth before. Clark melted through the ice surrounding it and entered the ship, finding the mainframe to be hollow, with the floors and walls made up of…

He used his enhanced vision.

Tiny robots. The interior of the ship was a giant hollow room with programmable nanobots. There was one small hole though, shaped like a diamond. Clark removed the key from his pocket and inserted it into the wall. Instantly, the room came to life, revealing itself to be a control room for the entire ship, with the other rooms in the ship branching off from it. There were 3 openings in the walls, paths to other parts of the ship. He walked through the one on his right, and clenched his teeth in surprise when he found a man in alien attire staring at him, folded arms. The man spoke.

"My name is Jor-El. I am your…half father."

Clark looked at him, trying to read the man. _Scientist, indicated by semi-formal attire, crest on his chest indicates recognized status, also noted by his posture. _

"Jor-El…Can you tell me who your people are? Do you mean humans harm?"

The man spoke quickly, explaining to Clark about Krypton and the last hope for his people. "…so you see, my Son died in front of me…I was only barely able to transfer my consciousness into the codex before I too was killed."

Clark nodded. A civilization this advanced could surely do that. He now had his answers to who the Kryptonians were, but now he had a different question. "Why did you alter my genes?"

"I added the power of my son, his life force, to the codex…his code was transferred to you because you were chosen by it. You were the only one compatible…"

"Why?"

"Because you are different from others…not your body, but your brain. It is different from normal humans. The neural activity is comparable to Kryptonian levels."

"So I was chosen because I'm…smart?"

Jor-El nodded. "But why?" Clark asked.

"Because the legacy of Krypton has to live on… and the survival of this planet depends on it."

"What do you mean? Aren't all the Kryptonians dead?"

"There are some no longer imprisoned in the Phantom Zone. General Zod is looking for you."

"Why?"

"He wants to kill you. He wants to destroy anything that stands in Kryptons way, anything that gives him a feeling of insecurity. He will destroy this planet out of spite for you. He did not like what I did. But he could not stop it. Now he is heading to Earth. You have 5 months to prepare. You are strong here, stronger than I could ever imagine. The yellow sun is powerful."

Clark processed all the information. Looked like he had to become a superhero. _It is my burden to bear. No one must know. No one else must get hurt._ He didn't want anyone to know of the arriving threat. It was possibly foolish, but he had no way of informing the government without putting him, his friends, and family all in danger. He turned to Jor-El.

"I need a mask, something to protect my identity."

"I understand. The Krypto-nanotech will fashion you a visor. As for your clothes, they are weak and will damage easily. There is something better…the Nanotech has finished a suit as we speak."

Jor-El gestured to the other room. "Through there."

The Nanites floated a suit of thin, tight armour towards him. Clark touched the suit, and it opened up, the Nanites molding to his skin. His old clothes were dissolved, and he was wearing the suit. The armour felt light and flexible, as well as comfortable. But then he looked down. There were a pair of what looked like red briefs on the exterior. He bit the inside of his cheeks.

_That is definitely going in version two of this suit. _As he looked himself over, he realized the suit didn't look all that great at all. It had sleeves only till his wrists, not till the back of his hand, the belt was yellow, and it had a bright big diamond with the same _**S **_inside it. _Mental note- when time permits, reprogram nanotech for better functionality in suit. _He planned to make some major changes. The Underwear on top had to go. But for now, it was alright.

"What does the S stand for?"

"It is the crest of the house of El. It means Hope. You are the last light of Krypton now, Clark Kent. You have my son's blood in you. That means much. I never got to see him grow, become something great...I hope I can guide you to become that. You will become the greatest Kryptonian to ever live..." The man nodded at Clark. "But the only way to do that is to keep pushing your limits. Keep getting stronger...In one week you have become this powerful, there is no telling how much more you will become."

Clark was quiet, serenely observing the image of Jor-El.

"This is my destiny? …Then I will rise to meet it…"

He smiled with melancholy and stood tall…facing the wind howling outside.

"I take your son's name with honor, Jor-El…for his father is a great man… As Kal-El, and as Clark Kent, I will not allow the people of this world to be harmed."

Jor-El smiled, and closed his eyes peacefully. "Thank you, Kal…"

Clark nodded, and stepped down onto the ice.

* * *

**A/N- Oh yes, I do want the lame outfit first...**

**Badasses dont start off badass.**


	13. Chapter 13- (S)

**A/N- Superman has a little character development here...**

* * *

**CHAPTER 13- (S)**

**ARCTIC CIRCLE- 4 Days After Incident**

* * *

Clark stepped down on the ice, the Nanite suit protecting him completely. It felt _powerful. _The crest on his chest gave him a feeling of greatness. He felt like he finally had a purpose, rather than wasting away his life doing nothing useful whatsoever. This power would be his redemption, or his breaking.

_Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. _

He knew that he could easily lose control. He could rule the world, and no one could stop him. He was strong enough now to lift up a spaceship weighing nearly a ton, and Jor-El had said that he would only get stronger. There was no telling his limits.

He could jump hundreds of yards in one leap, he could punch through steel, he could fire heat from his eyes. Oh it would be so easy. Give the people who had made him suffer so much justice, rebel against his parents' constant yelling at him, all of his frustration at no one being able to understand him, all that pain of knowing that he would find no one who would.

"_Everything we have ever done for you was charity!" …_His parents…

"_You are a disgrace and a disappointment!"... _His teachers…

"_Quit sulking around!" …_Bruce…

"_You need professional help, Kent!"... _Diana…

"_What is wrong with you!? You're nothing but trouble!" …_Karen…

Clark was dragged from his thoughts when he heard something in the distance. He pushed off, bolting towards the cacophony of noise he heard. _HELP! HELP US! SOMEBODY HELP!_

He ran as fast as he could, reaching the source of the screams. An expedition had camped out on the corner of an ice sheet, which was rapidly crumbling. It would fall apart at any moment, a sheer drop to the ocean below. The whole sheet had been unstable, a quick scan showed him, but they hadn't known that. The ice had gradually sunk down, and before the team could notice, it was on the verge of collapsing. Stuck in their metal tent, they were trapped, any movement would finish it quicker. 5 people inside, they were crying for help, but no one would have heard them. Clark took a deep breath. _Its unstable, you have to be careful. _

He took a risk and jumped towards the metal tent, and the ice shuddered, nearly breaking. He clasped the edge of the small site and pulled, straining as hard as he could. The metal creaked under pressure but he pulled it upwards. The house shifted and he felt a sudden jerk going through the ice. Before he could realize, the pressure gave in and the tent slipped from his hands. The ice sheet collapsed, the entire wall falling to the ocean below. Clark yelled as the people fell to the ocean, the impact crushing the tent. He cried out as he hit the water with a massive force. It hadn't hurt him, but the shock was enough to stun him momentarily. He recovered and looked around underwater for any sign of the people. He saw frantic movement in the interior of the crushed metal. He propelled himself towards it, and pulled it up, heaving with all his might. He set down the remains on the ice, gasping for breath.

Only stopping for a second, he ripped open the compartment, only to find mangled bodies beyond fixing. They had been mutilated beyond help. Guilt was the first thing that darted through his mind. _If I hadn't pulled so hard, maybe they could have waited it out. Maybe they could have been saved._

He stood facing the dead, and closed his eyes. _I'm not worthy. I can't do this. First I let thoughts of anger and revenge control me, and then because of me these people died. Maybe Karen was right. I am nothing but trouble._

He jumped up to the cliff, a hundred feet above him. He tore off the Nanite suit in one smooth movement and let it sit on the ice. His jeans and t-shirt underneath provided him no reassurance and he felt vulnerable. He pulled out the red cloth from his pocket and looked at it. _It was supposed to be him. Jor-El's real son. Maybe if he had come to earth he could have learned our ways better. He could have been the bridge between two people. He could have learned the meaning of hope, and under his father's guidance, taught that to humanity. _Clark felt something in his throat that wouldn't go away. _There is another universe out there where he lived. Where it wasn't me chosen…_

He never hated himself more than in that moment…He closed his eyes…letting emotions cloud his senses. _I had told Jor-El I would rise to meet this…Zod._

Clark felt dread and something akin to fear at the thought of facing a Kryptonian in combat. He would have the sun's energy as well. And he would be a general, an expert in combat, not to mention a grown man with more experience than Clark would ever have.

He was close to panicking…

He ran. He didn't know where he was running, but he ran.

He wore the Nanite suit as he was running. The spandex like feeling of the nanotech felt comfortable, but it did nothing to distract him from the impending danger.

"_Zod's phantom drive is not in working condition, but he can remodel the hyper-drive from the parts he has on his ship. He has received the distress signal from this ship as soon as you plugged in the Codex. I stopped it as soon as I got control, but he already knows enough" Jor-El had said. "It will take him close to 150 Earth revolutions to reach here."_

_5 months. 5 months to battle elite Kryptonians. 5 months to prepare._

Clark hit land like a ton of bricks, hitting a wall not paying attention to where he was going. He fell and got up, coughing the dust out of his lungs. He looked around, and realized he was somewhere in South America, probably Chile. The natives had gathered around him, the local fisherman pointing at the boy who had ran over water.

He looked them all over and bolted, scrambling away from the crowd, and when in the clear, using his super speed. The noise had increased again. It was thankfully quiet on the poles, but now in the city once more, he was overwhelmed again. He drowned out the noise, trying to focus on the problem at hand.

Considering the facts, he came to a decision. _I will defeat Zod. And then I will get Jor-El to remove the codex from my blood and extract the Kryptonian DNA. I am not worthy, I will never be the ideal of hope that he wants me to be…_

He ran north, reaching quiet Canada in a day and a half, stopping to rest only once. Smallville. His parents seemed fine, carrying on their usual schedules like nothing was wrong. He had hesitated, but then carried on.

He reached the wilderness of Canada, and settled there in a remote town north of Alaska.


	14. Chapter 14- GL

**The first time skip for the Lantern. GL- 3 months after he got the ring. **

* * *

**CHAPTER 14- GREEN LANTERN**

**OA- 3 MONTHS LATER**

Hal Jordan summoned a giant fist made with green light, and struck his sparring opponent, Thaal Sinestro. The Korugarian blocked the blow using a shield made of similar energy. Hal battered the shield with a barrage of light missiles, until his opponents energy shield cracked and dissipated. Hal violently sheathed two swords, both a luminescent jade, strong with his concentration.

_No distractions, Jordan._ He went toe to toe with Sinestro, matching each of his blows with his own swords, until at last he was overwhelmed. The Korugarian fiercely hissed.

"You are stronger, Hal Jordan. Your frustration comes out in your sparring, your anger at the guardians that they will not allow you to go home. You are but a child. They do not trust your judgment. Yet you have great potential. Already your powers as a Lantern are superior to mine, I regret to admit, and I have been a Lantern for many centuries. I do not know what it is that gives you this strength, but I hope you do not allow it to be tainted by fear."

"I fear _NOTHING." _

Sinestro nodded. "The power of will shall hold strong."

Hal said nothing, turning his back and lifting off from the ground, slowly increasing his speed until he was going so fast he was risking a collision with the skyscraping monuments of Oa. _Why won't they let me go home? I never wanted this responsibility! I never wanted this power! I don't want to be some space cop! I want to go home to Diana! _Were only a few of his thoughts that ran through his head as he tried to calm himself. Flying gave him freedom, and it was one of the only powers he truly enjoyed. He still would give it up to go back. He boosted himself faster, trying to reach the guardians as soon as he could, Hal had been summoned.

Slowing down eventually, he landed softly at the guardians' towers feet. He bowed down if only to placate the guardians, he needed to get on their good side to convince them to allow him to leave. The guardian that had showed him the Lantern Power Battery spoke.

"**Hal Jordan, we are pleased with your progress. But we cannot allow you to leave as you so desire as of yet"**

Hal bit his tongue so hard he was sure it was bleeding, trying not to say something spiteful in response. "Why, may I ask, Guardian?"

"**We need all the Lantern Corps we can get, there is a threat approaching Oa. A monster, called Parallax. It was once a guardian, but he was corrupted by the Yellow Fear Energy. It now possesses almost limitless strength and is bent on destroying the Green Energy of Will."**

"So why have I been summoned."

"**We understand you are but a child, but you posses great will. We wish you to lead the assault along with your mentors, the Lanterns Kilowog, And Thaal Sinestro"**

_Oh great, Sinestro. The biggest stick in the mud ever to exist. _Hal again suppressed his irritation and took a deep breath. Oh he would accept. If this "Parallax" was as threatening to the guardians as they said, then if Hal beat it, he could definitely leave. He wasn't afraid in the slightest. He had a lot of pent up aggression and was sure that would come in handy in a fight, and he was willing to do anything to return to Diana. _I wonder if she misses me…_

Hal took another deep breath and spoke. "Yes, I will lead your assault. And when we defeat this monster, I wish to return home."

"**We agree to your…condition."**

"May I take my leave?"

"**Go, Hal Jordan"**

Hal turned around and lifted off, searching for Sinestro. He needed to make a plan…

So that's that. GL can beat Parallax then go back home to Diana…or will something else happen?

* * *

**A/N-I just realized because I'm new here I am totally spoiling you with updates, all 6 of you following so far…well thank you for following…Hehe. That sounded a bit morose, didn't it. I appreciate any feedback, bad or good, so feel free to be a psychopath and say whatever you want about the story. Okay don't actually do that, but freedom of speech, people, so REVIEWWw. And I know as the author I might seem a bit immature, I am. As a friend of mine once said, "_Whets the point of being a thousand years old if you can't act like a child sometimes?" _ *winks.**


	15. Chapter 15- WW

**I know, I know. Im a piece of shit. I promised this day before yesterday. Well it was difficult to write, so shoot me.**

**_Don't actually do that._**

**Any who, Diana Diana Diana.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 15-WONDER WOMAN**

**THEMISCYRA**

Diana sheathed her blade, stepping over her fallen sparring partner. The sword had been made out of magic metal, in the forges of Hephaestus. It could cut through anything. Diana took a deep breath and walked towards her mother standing under the pavilion. "Are you satisfied, mother?"

"Your godliness has made you a gifted warrior, and you have made an impeccable Amazon as well."

"Thank you, Queen Hippolyta." Diana remarked, satisfied.

The lasso swaying with her hips, and the tiara on her head, Diana decided she would take a bath, her clothes had become dirty. The costume had become a part of her, now. She no longer called it a costume, or a silly dress. In it, she felt strong. It allowed for easy movement, and it frankly was intimidating to others, but Diana guessed that was only because the sword and lasso accompanied it. She had become adept at using the blade and the lasso. Hippolyta had explained to her the events leading to Diana's birth, how her father was Zeus. Hippolyta believed this was the reason that Diana was a fast learner, her godliness.

Diana would have liked to believe she was wrong, but ever since the day 3 months ago she had woken up in the strawberry field, Diana felt stronger and stronger. It was as if the 14 years without her powers were a dream. She now depended so much on being strong enough to crack a wall just by pushing against it. _My powers are now a part of me as well_…she thought as she walked up to the spring. Removing her clothes, she relaxed into the water, allowing the heat of the springs to cleanse all the dirt from her skin. As she looked at the horizon from the pool, she saw from the elevation almost a mile away.

_This land is beautiful…_ Themyscira was a true paradise, an oasis. The city and its pollution and chaos were not missed. The air felt cooler, here. The water was clean and pure, and the grass was soft and the greenest of greens. Diana sighed, feeling relaxed.

But ever so often as would happen, her thoughts drifted. She thought of Hal. _Where would he be right now? Would he be looking for me? I miss him… _and she did. She missed his smile, she missed his stupid jokes, she missed his flirting. _Why did it have to be like this? Even if I go back, there is no chance things will go back to normal; I'd probably break his jaw just kissing him… _

Sighing, she thought of the others. Would they miss her? _Lois and Iris would. And Vic and Barry. Ollie and Dinah would probably have tried to find out where I went. _She tried to avoid it, but she couldn't help but think of Clark Kent. _Clark wouldn't even care. He's a selfish jerk. Thank god there's no FaceBook here otherwise my inbox would be full of spam from him. Gods, what an annoyance._

Then, as she finished cleaning herself, she dried out in the sun, lying on the rocks by the springs as an ethereal beauty. Closing her eyes, an image of Bruce Wayne flickered across her mind. _The playboy dumbass. I wonder if he noticed I'm missing. Probably not, he has plenty of girlfriends to distract him, _She thought, irritated by her minds inability to remain relaxed. _Why am I even thinking about him? He's more self absorbed than Kent…_

Unable to lie there getting more and more frustrated, Diana put her clothes on. _So much for relaxing... I need to blow off some steam. _

She picked up her sword and lasso and attached them to her waist. Then, pushing off from the ground, she soared into the sky. The wind in her hair and the lightness in her stomach made her giggle in happiness, but then Wayne's face reappeared in her mind and she gritted her teeth, flying towards the royal palace.

There, she was greeted by many "Greetings, Princess." as she touched the ground. Putting up a fake smile, she nodded. _Princess Diana of Themyscira. Not Diana Prince. _She realized her mother was really quite clever, playing on that. Diana Prince, Princess Diana, her mother was a smart one.

Diana had never questioned her mother's motives in taking her to Man's world, as Hera's wrath was well known to the children born to Zeus out of his marriage with Hera. Diana knew that Hera and the other goddesses had blessed her when she was born, but she guessed that was just because Hippolyta was an Amazon and held the female goddesses in the highest respects. Diana had heard tales of how men had tortured the Amazons and she understood a lot of that. _Bruce Wayne seems like the type of man who would do things like that. _

Irritated at her brains inability to move on from thoughts of the juvenile manipulative playboy, she walked faster towards the smithing forges. _Why am I thinking of that jerk.?..._

She opened the doors to the forges and was glad to see her "sisters" acknowledge her presence with a nod and a smile instead of bowing. In Diana's frequent visits here she had drilled it into them that when they were working, there was no need to stop and bow and be formal. They had protested, but Diana had held strong. They had eventually caved, and now they were also alright with the fact that Diana liked to work in the forges. They often said it was not something meant for Princesses and Warriors, but a dark look from Diana would keep them quiet.

Diana had picked up how to do it watching her sisters work every day. She was now as adept at smithing as she was at fighting, which is to say, a master.

Today, Diana went over to one of her sisters named Bianca. "Bianca, what of my latest undertaking?"

Bianca nodded "It has been cast, set and removed from the mold. Now it needs your care and attention." Bianca spoke of the work as if it was a child, and she was the mother. Diana admired this love of their work. Walking over to the iron cast, she saw the sheet metal was taking the cylindrical shape she desired.

Picking up the still hot iron with her hands, she moved over to the anvil and hammer and started to beat it into her minds image of her desire. As she pounded the sheet effortlessly, her mind focused entirely on her task, and all other distractions and thoughts faded. The _CLINK, _Lift, _CLINK, _Lift, rhythm absorbed every frustration Diana had.

When she was satisfied with the shape taking form, she looked up to see Bianca smiling at her and Queen Hippolyta standing by the doorway to the forge, a blank expression on her face. Diana tried to gauge her mother's thoughts, but failed. She gulped, nervous to see her mother's reaction.

"Diana, bring that to me."

Diana slowly brought over the metal shapes, now two of them, which had now cooled sufficiently to be handled by normal hands. She put them in her mother's palms and closed her eyes, anticipating an outburst or a scolding. Instead, Hippolyta lifted up Diana's chin. Softly, she spoke.

"Diana, this is no job for a princess…"

"I'm sorry, mother…"

"Did you make these yourselves?"

"Yes mother…'

"They are beautiful…"

"Thank you, mother.'

Hippolyta then smiled. "Come. We go to Hecate."

_Hecate? The goddess of magic?_ Diana bit her lip. The goddess Hecate was always within reach. She liked the amazons, and would often augment their weapons and armor magically to give them strength. Diana took the two crafted shapes and slipped them on her wrists, and then followed her mother out the door, glancing back to see Bianca giving her a smile. Diana smiled back and nodded, mouthing _Thank You. _Bianca nodded.

Diana followed her mother to the hall of Hecate, where her mother called the goddess. Hecate was not a waster of time. She appeared instantly.

Hippolyta and Diana bowed before her. Hecate spoke, with a booming voice that could only be heard as a goddess's.

"**The bracelets, Princess. Bring them to me."**

Diana slowly removed them and nervously handed them over to the goddess. Hecate delicately examined them, as if she was considering something. Diana could almost swear the goddess was almost saying "hmmmm…" but that would be un godlike. She then looked up at Diana, and she almost flinched.

"**Exquisite work, young one."**

Diana blinked, it's not every day you get compliments from a goddess. Hippolyta almost elbowed her before she said "Thank You, Lady Hecate"

Hecate smiled, but it wasn't the same smile that humans smile. It was almost _hollow_. The goddess set the bracelets in Diana's wrists and began to chant something under her breath. They began to glow and spark. Diana felt them burning her skin, but she held her tongue. Then, Hecate released them and they remained glowing pale silver, not the dull iron that they originally were. The original iron was lustrous, true, the amazons used only the best iron, but the bracelets had been imbibed with potent magic.

Diana struggled to speak. "Th…th…Thank You, O goddess." She managed to mumble. The pain numbed her hands and she loosely attempted to clench her fists to relieve it. The gauntlets relaxed and loosened, falling to the floor, and denting it. Hecate spoke.

"**They shall only come off when you wish them to. No other force on earth can remove them. They will not rust, corrode, or damage. I hope you do great things with these, **_**Diana.**_**" **

Diana stammered "Ye…yes m'lady….thank you…"

Hecate rose, growing in form as she vanished. Diana fell to her knees immediately, picking up the bracelets and wearing them. They went perfectly with her clothes and armor, and this time they felt light and powerful. She willed them to clasp to her wrists, and they fit perfectly. Turning to face her mother, Diana stood tall and fierce, the various artifacts and weapons made her extremely imposing. The lasso, the magic sword and bracelets, and the tiara with the two W's symbol. She smiled at her mother and said "So what do you think…?"

"You look like a true warrior, darling, a wonder of a woman…"

* * *

**Best chapter yet, according to me. And now the BM/WW begins. Or something like that.**

**REVIEW for suggestions. And I am open to criticism.**

**Thanks, followers, you rock. I'm so happy that this got even a little support. Yay :D**


	16. AN-1

RANT-1

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Okay since I'm a blabbermouth and I do not shut up AT ALL, and keep bothering you with longass A/N's, I have a better idea. Only if you are interested in knowing more about the story and my opinions on the characters, Im going to do rant chapters instead of long A/N's. So if you've read that and you hate my incessant ranting, go on to the next chapter, there is nothing here but my thoughts and a few hints on upcoming chapters as well as replies to reviews. And relax, Im still going to update frequently.

Okay, the rant begins.

WOW. WOW. WOW. ALMOST 10 FOLLOWERS! YIPEE! Anyway, Im working on the next chapter, which is going to be reasonably long. Its going to be an experience, writing about their childhoods. You will see a few major differences in character and how closely their powers are associated with their lives. Without their powers, they are still heroes because they wanted to make a difference. But being kids, there is a lot of flirting and random fluff, basically the kind of stuff that fuels the teen drama drive. I really _really _dislike the whole movement that comics and movies should be goofy and lighthearted, telling you almost the whole time "its just a movie". I like Marvels characters as much as anyone else, but I do not like the way they are making it a mass entertainer just to appeal to the masses. There should be a little dark themes at least! I actually liked Man of Steel (Don't hate) for atleast _trying _to do something different. But i guess it just wasn't a "mass entertainer" like Avengers. The Dark Knight got a lot of good reviews, but it wasnt a funny movie, or one you could quote dialogues from on tumblr to get laughs. (Okay scratch that, Tumblr is one messed up place) But still, it should be dark!

I know I seem like a gigantic hypocrite for saying shiz like this and then typing a story about the Justice League as teenagers having crushes and relationship trouble but im just trying to appeal to the masses a little bit before it gets all broody. I have a lot of dark stuff planned for Kent. The Superman in this story is hopefully unlike anyone you've seen before. Same powers, Same hope, But not the same kindness. Kal-El will be reborn in this story.

Yep, broody. Speaking of Broody, I know that Batman is not what you would expect, but I had to usher him in somehow without making it too delayed. So the whole "cover", which if you think about is pretty weak, but it doesnt stay for long, he goes back to Gotham pretty early in the story.

Diana is brought up by Hippolyta in Man's world. The Hippolyta here is one who is not one bent on ignoring man, but instead reforming it. She will guide Diana and teach her to see the best in people, ex. Bruce Wayne.

Diana was brought up as a pretty normal kid, but you have to remember her..._uniqueness. _Its quite a wonderful plot device to use Hal in the mix. He makes Diana human, in a way. But Bruce elevates her Godliness. He is the catalyst to the warrior she becomes.

Hal Jordan is as expected, with little to change there, really. He's just as immature as an adult. Hehe. But he also gets a bit dark later on. Insecurity and whatnot.

Barry Allen is one of my favorite DC characters. The Flash here is taken with elements from CW's Flash, new52 and the original pre-crisis Barry Allen.

The power levels here to be relative are as shown.

If 1 is normal human, then-

(Beginning of story)-

SM- 0.7 (I know, I know)

BM- 1.7

WW- 1.2 (Again, I know)

GL- 1

FLASH- 0.8

They seem a bit nerfed here but relax, take a look at them directly after their metasis-

SM- 700 (Till chap 14)

BM- 1.7

WW- 550

GL- 30

GL (MaxPwr/Chap 15)- 300

Flash- 3.5

These are power levels in relation to strength.

I always like doing the stats, and these are satisfying so far.

If you like the idea of the power levels, let me know, I might do it later on in the story as well.

Okay, enough of that.

Replying to reviewssss

* * *

**_OllielovesDinah_**

I am partial to Oliver/Dinah myself. I do not like their chemistry in Arrow, though. Arrow kinda spoiled the whole name of Green Arrow. Fans of the show now think he's called just Arrow.

Anyway, Thanks for reviewing and i hope you keep reading :)

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_**CrazyPhenom**_

Thanks, I didnt think the GL chapter was that great, but glad to see you liked it.

And yes, Im not a big follower of canon either. Superman is a character who was treated uniquely by every writer who wrote him. And he's not the only one. There are so many different adaptations of their characters that we do not know who they exactly are! (Unless as you said, we resurrect Kane or Siegel)

Btw- I did not like Supes in Injustice. I know we arent supposed to as he's the villain and all, but its so out of character for him. Sure, he would be depressed and sad about Lois' death and he would have probably killed the Joker, but no way he would completely lose it like that. Its just not accurate to Superman. And the League would have stopped him way before he took complete control.

Hehe, but like you said, the writers decide. I like the new52 WW more than the 2000's one, mainly because she looks a lot cooler (Im not shallow, I just dig her outfit in Throne Of Atlantis/War) and her origin story is more...err...believable? I dont know, the whole clay thing was a bit too much. Demi godess seems a bit better huh?

Oh yeah, totally agree with the 90's and 2000's DCAU Bats being uber awesome.

As for Supes, I dont like any of them. He was such a goody-goody boyscout early on and now he's brash, almost rude. I know surrounded by paper people would make him a bit overconfident, but its so different to the original Superman. So here im trying to give him a personality, not _just _the nice guy or _just _the harsh one.

And as for your last point, I think I've agreed to that many times before, haven't I?

There **_ARE _**so many to pick from that you should be able to find the a characterization or a mixture of it that you like, without straying in to full AU.

Totally Agree! Thanks for reviewing! And keep reading :)

* * *

Anyway, That was my first rant.

I got a lot out of my system and now I wont pester you with gigantic A/N's.

Next chapters going to be pretty long, so a day or two. I hope you can wait that long?

Cheers,

ZoSo7MoS


	17. Chapter 16- Childhood

**A/N- Apologies for the long delay, I lost the file for the chapter. It was close to 12k words. I do hate myself for it. Gah all that effort. POOF! I rewrote about 1/10th of it, later realizing it was a pretty boring chapter anyway, with all the teen drama (I suppose some of you like that...) So here is 1/10th of a chapter that was supposed to be about how they all met. Instead, we have drama b/w Supes and WW.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 16- CHILDHOOD**

**EARTH- 3 YEARS BEFORE INCIDENT**

A 12 year old Clark Kent introduced himself around the class. His teacher smiled and asked him to sit down. Letting out a breath, he relaxed into his seat. It was his first day at school. _Any school_. He had been home schooled by the Kent's in Smallville before this. He would spend the mornings working in the farm and the evenings reading in his room. Martha didn't bother him much, but Jonathan was annoyed with his aloofness and would get tired of Clark reading thick novels and doing nothing else in the evenings. It had been his decision to send Clark to school. Martha had agreed, and they had saved up the little money they had to rent a small apartment for Clark to stay in. It had been a big jump, but Clark had managed fine. He was glad to be a little free.

It was his first day at school and he had noticed a lot of the girls giggling and looking over at him. He wouldn't say he was cute, but his mother often told him he had a handsomish face. Expressive eyebrows, long lashes, and perfectly shaped thin lips. His only flaw were his dull eyes, which were a placid black. But he had gotten attention from the girls in Smallville and was no stranger to flirting. Some of the boys were eyeing him nervously. As the period went by, Clark barely paid attention as he stared out the window. _I already know all this. Why am I even here? _Were a few of the thoughts that ran through his head. He turned around to see a dark haired boy brooding in the corner, who about half the girls in the class were staring at.

The other half were eyeing Clark. All except one, who were nonchalantly relaxing in the back of the class, seemingly almost as bored as he was. Clark's almost eidetic memory told him she was Lois Lane, the daughter of that famous army general who would come in the papers. He raised his eyebrows. _Hmmm…_

She noticed him staring and he quickly looked forward, swearing he could see the dark haired boy smiling as he turned. _Douche. _Clark tried to remember who he was, and came up with a name…_what was it? Bryce…? No. Bruce, yeah. Bruce Wayne. _

The bell rang and he gathered up his books, turning to go to the next class. He saw a couple of girls coming up to him and he swore under his breath, trying to walk faster. Not paying attention to what was in front of him, he bumbled into Lois. "What are you _doing?_"

He mumbled "Sorry"

She looked back and saw what he was trying to avoid.

"Ohh…" she winked at him and grabbed his arm. "Come with me."

Clark tried his hardest not to blush like a fool as she pulled him through the hallways. _Get your emotions under control. _They stopped near a janitors closet near the right wing. "So, pretty boy, trying to hide from the girls?"

He shrugged, "I guess…"

"That's nice." She said, as she shoved him into the closet and laughed, closing the door and running away. "Welcome to our school, CK!"

Clark pushed against the door and found it jammed shut. _This is not what I anticipated. _

He had stayed there for 2 periods before someone noticed and opened the door. The Janitor was an old man, and he had apparently seen this happen before, and wasn't in the least surprised. When Clark told him who had done it, he laughed. "Lois is a real fiery one. Got the brains, yeah, but she's got the temper too, son. You be careful" he handed him a key and winked. "She got you once, you get her next. Good luck."

Clark smiled. People always liked helping him for some reason. Maybe it was something in the way he acted or maybe people just felt sorry for him…

He gave the key back to the janitor. He didn't hold grudges.

(S)

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Diana Prince absentmindedly twiddled a pencil in her hand. She was deep in thought. _Hal Jordan just asked me on a date. My best friend and the only guy who I can trust… but I have no idea what I'm supposed to do…I need help! _She was barely paying attention to what was going on in the class. After the class finished she rushed down the hallway to meet Lois and Iris. It was the break period. Diana calmly sat down and tried to compose herself. "Lois, I need help. Hal asked me out"

"Yeah, we know. He sorta asked for our help before asking you" Iris cheekily smiled. Diana frowned, worried. "Relax, you'll be alright." Lois whispered. Diana, exasperated, spread her arms and bumped into a wandering messy haired boy. Lois looked at him and smiled flirtatiously. But it didn't seem to affect him. He was looking straight at Diana, his eyes reading her expression. They were a pale bluish colour, and seemed lifeless. She immediately felt uncomfortable. He blinked for a moment then extended his hand. "I apologize for bumping into you. My name is Clark Kent. Im new here."

Diana awkwardly shook his hand and glanced at her friends with an expression clearly read as _What a weirdo! _Clark may have noticed but he didn't seem to have. He nodded at them and wandered off, giving Lois a scrutinizing look. Iris elbowed Lois. "I think he likes you" she grinned. Clark momentarily turned back, looking straight at them and shaking his head condescendingly. _Did he hear that!?_ He looked forward and bumped into someone again, this time he just muttered sorry and kept moving. Diana pondered on this. _What's his problem?_

Then she remembered hers and then she wasn't thinking of anything else. _Hal… _

She asked Iris for advice and they gossiped and chattered the whole break time. She then went to her next class, and there she let her thoughts wander. _Clark Kent huh…hes a weird one. _

(WW)

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**Pretty boring, but I promise more frequent updates now.**


	18. Chapter 17- Batman

**A/N- A decent sized chapter here, with some insight on Batmans activities once he came to Gotham…and dreams of Diana….**

**CrazyPhenom- Thanks, and sorry if it seems a bit rushed, I think the footnote to this chapter might explain a bit. There are still quite a few chapters before the Heroes meet each other, and then even more until they all reveal their identities to one another. None of them know that the others are metasized, except Batman. Because he's Batman. Anyyywho…speaking of The Dark Knight…**

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**CHAPTER 17- BATMAN**

**GOTHAM**

Bruce punched the assassin in the chest, fracturing his ribs. The man groaned in agony as he was dragged down the stairs, the Batman's lithe figure almost invisible as he blended into the shadows. The man was painfully crying out in agony, and his mouth was promptly clamped shut. Pulling him to a corner, Bruce roughhoused him down. "Talk, now"

The assassin clenched his teeth and spat at him. "It does not concern you, Batman."

Bruce stepped on the wound. "Give. Me. A. Name." punctuating each word with a twist of his foot. He heard ribs shattering, but ignored it. The man shouted out, but he kept pushing, until tears fell on the floor and he whimpered. "Okay, Okay, I'll tell you!"

Bruce picked up the man and threw him on the chair in the middle of the room. "Tell me. Who ordered you to assassinate the Mayor of Gotham."

The man just sat there, blinking. "I was ordered to do the job because the Mayor is…no fun."

Bruce glared daggers at him. "What does that mean? Who is behind all this."

The man looked at him and laughed, a maniacal laughter that was eerily familiar. "Who do you think? You know, he does like you a lot…he even calls you Batsy…"

Batman realized instantly. "Joker."

* * *

He dropped the assassin on the roof of the police station, tied up with the records of his crimes in a folder. _Gordon should take care of that. _Bruce used the Bat-wing to fly back to Wayne Manor, his inherited establishment on the outskirts of Gotham city, and also his home. Landing the wing in the cave corner, he went over to the computers as fast as he could. He had built another batcave beneath Wayne manor, quite like the original one. Unfortunately, he couldn't salvage anything from the original cave, which had been torn apart from heat vision. On the other hand, he had a multi-billion dollar company run by his trusted associate, Lucius Fox. Bruce didn't want to imagine the boredom of running the company, he was fine where he was, even though he was perfectly capable of running the company himself. His return to Gotham had the newspapers running wild, the Wayne inheritance fell to him, and the profits from the company as well. This had aggravated the media, thinking a child would be wasteful of the money, but after several philantrophistic acts, they left him alone.

Only then did he begin patrolling to avoid suspicion. The media did not need to know that he didn't sleep at night. The few hours he did get of sleep were laced with dreams and images of either his Parent's murder or Diana. It was a heady mix, Bruce didn't enjoy sleeping. He put the murder dreams to PTSD, quite prolonged, actually, but the dreams of Diana?

Those were inexplicable. He would dream of her sitting by him, leaning on his shoulder and whispering his name as he ran his hands through her hair. He could feel her touch, hypersensitive in his dream… The soft caresses of her fingertips intertwining with his…

Bruce blamed the teenage hormones, that was easier. He had a duty to do, justice to serve. He never really thought of her much during the day, it was only at night that his mind betrayed him. This wasn't love, or even a crush. It was teenage attraction, and that was all. He hadn't even seen her for over 3 months, building his image as the Batman in Gotham.

The few occasions in the daytime he let his mind wander, he realized their personalities weren't even close. She was happy, go lucky. He was dark and broody, and shouldered a lot of responsibility. _What would she know about responsibility…_ she was just another normal teenager, who just happened to be extremely good looking. Bruce sighed, blinking back his focus to the computer. _I can't let my thoughts wander, I have a duty as the Batman. _

He shook his head and took a deep breath, analyzing what data he had so far. The Joker was planning something big. Mass terrorism this time. Only problem was, Bruce didn't know who was involved. The assassination of the mayor had been just the beginning, there had been bombs rigged in the entire congregate room. All the major politicians had died or were severely injured. Power had fallen to the police, who had been desperately searching for Jokers next move, when they were tipped off to the Masterminds location. Batman had not known who was behind it until he caught the assassin. Now he had to stop Joker before he set off something bigger.

He had his eyes on suspected Joker Clan members and was actively monitoring them and watching their every move. There were four of them, but only one had shown any suspicious activity, and her name was Harleen Quinn. She had a criminal record of vandalism and rebellion against the government, but never did anything noteworthy. But the reason Bruce had his doubts was because of her trial in the court. The words she had used to the judge, a grim faced elderly man in his 80s.

"_Why are you so serious, Mister? You should loosen up. Smile a little" _

Those words quite closely echoed something the Joker had said to him when they first met, Batman had been surrounded by Clan members and Joker had thrown him down off a roof, but not before mocking him…

"_Why so serious, Bats? Loosen up, kid. Smile a little." _And in front of the dozens of people, he had thrown him off, but not anticipating the grappling gun to hook on to a window and allow him to live. Joker had laughed maniacally and thrown a pencil at him. _"Adiieuuuu, BATMAN!" _

By the time Bruce reached back up, Joker had vanished. That was four days before the mayor's assassination.

This time Bruce had a plan, he wasn't going to give in so easily.

He picked up his phone and dialed. Clark had gone to the Antarctic alright…he had been out of touch since the last phone call. Bruce suspected he had reached the ship and gotten some answers. But after that…he had no clue where he was. And that was saying something. Even on his personal satellite, Bruce couldn't locate any speed outbursts or heat vision sightings, and that unnerved him. _He's become better at hiding…_

The phone rang once before Clark picked up. "Bruce." He said gravely.

"I need your help."

"I'm on my way. Give me half an hour. I'm in Canada right now. It'll take me a while to run over."

Bruce didn't reply, instead choosing to hang up.

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**READ BELOW A/N, IMPORTANT-**

**If the timelines are too confusing, try reading chapters character wise, in their direct orders. Major incidents will be seen via their perspectives in straight time. Ex- read the first WW chapter, then the second WW chapter, 3****rd****…so on in order for each character, to view their perspectives in order.**


	19. Chapter 18- GL

**CHAPTER 18-GREEN LANTERN**

**UNCHARTED SPACE- 759 LIGHT YEARS FROM OA**

Hal saw the massive creature which was almost 20 million miles away, and that was when he started re evaluating his rashness in taking the mission. The guardians had been curious to see that Hal was not afraid of the undertaking, but now, with only Sinestro, Kilowog, Tomar Re and 21 other GL's, he was starting to have second thoughts.

The creature/former guardian known as Parallax had devoured the entire space sector, and was radiating an aura of fear. Hal was anxious, because he saw even some of the older and wiser Lanterns nervously hovering. They had formed a blockade, the size of a planet, made out of pure green energy. It was a massive effort and had left their power rings sorely depleted but not empty. They were hoping to capture the creature in the blockade because it would likely underestimate its strength. _But what if we are underestimating it?_

Hal felt the paranoia and spine tingling sensation clinging to him like a shroud. As the creature approached within 5 million miles of the blockade, he could sense that it was aware of the trap. _Or is that just paranoia?_

The mass entity turned towards the blockade and several of the Lanterns flinched as they saw its face. The eyes themselves were the size of a continent, and its head was the size of a planet. The rest of its long, squid like body trailed behind it as it changed course to move towards the blockade.

Hal could hear it talking, and it was not pleasant.

"_**GREEN LANTERNS. YOU ARE POWERLESS AGAINST ME."**_

The voice bore into Hal's brain and he could feel a trickle of blood running from his ears. Clacking his jaw, he turned to see the other Lanterns cowering in fear behind the blockade, all except Sinestro and Kilowog. Sinestro was grim, and determined, and Kilowog was cracking his knuckles as the colossal monster approached within hitting range.

The fear was there, it was burning, it was scathing. Hal saw the Lanterns retreating, flying as fast as they could. Parallax came close enough to touch. Hal screamed, having enough of being paralyzed. He summoned as much as he could spare and punched the beast downwards into the blockade. The blow barely moved it, and the creature turned to look at him.

"_**HAL JORDAN. I KNOW YOUR FEAR."**_

"MY FEAR IS TO NOT KILL YOU NOW!"

Parallax wasted no words, choosing instead to use a long tentacle the size of a city to slam into Hal. He barely had time to register the blow before he could put up his shield and stabilize himself. He had been blown a considerable distance away.

Parallax seemed no longer interested in him, and this irked Hal instead of pleasing him. He did like a challenge. "EY! WHAT HAPPENED? IM NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YA ANYMORE?"

The monster didn't even acknowledge him, and continued to move to the blockade's defenses, swatting at Sinestro and Kilowog like they were pests.

Hal used half the remaining energy in his ring to create a spectral form of himself, comparable in size to the beast. The spectral form did not move, that would use too much energy. Instead, Hal yelled as loud as he could to get the beast to notice him. "HEY!"

The creature saw the spectral image of Hal and it slowly turned away from the blockade, a few tentacles hanging on the edge of the barrier. _I just need to get it in there. _

Using the spectral image, he hit the creature on its face. It roared in pain and flew towards Hal. _Oh Crap, that backfired. _

The collision took the air out of Hal's lungs, and he coughed, breathless as he flew away from it. The monster reached out to grab him, and he barely recovered in time to dodge the massive tentacle. Mustering up his courage, he moved towards the barricade, ready to draw its attention. He looked at Sinestro, who was looking at the beast with more awe than fear. "SINESTRO!"

The Korugarian turned towards Hal with a melancholic smile on his face. "We cannot stop it, Hal Jordan. Fear is stronger than will"

"What do you mean?! You're the one who taught me that will would prevail over all!"

"Not This."

Hal pushed him out of the way as he dumbly did nothing as the colossus changed course back towards them. Sinestro floated away, a thoughtful look on his face. _This is what fear does to people. Well it wont happen to me. _

Parallax snarled at Hal, and he felt a weakness in his knees, but he ignored it as he fired a blast at it, hitting its eye and irritating it further. It moved towards the barricade. _Come on…Come on…._

"GO!" Hal heard a voice behind him. Kilowog transferred his rings remaining energy to Hal's and nodded as he floated into the unknown. _NO! _

Anger rushed through his veins and he clamped the creature, flinging it with all his strength towards the trap, roaring with effort. It collided to the green energy which trapped it into a sphere, slowly condensing as the monster was crushed. It roared in agony again and again, each time causing the same spine tingling sensation of fear.

Hal was half relieved, half afraid as the monster was crushed into pure will. When the mass had condensed to the size of a small moon, the green energy discolored, becoming a sickly yellow as the sphere cracked. Hal's eyes widened.

_COLORS FILL THE SKIES, AS TIME DECAYS INTO NOTHING…_

" _**YOUR END COMES, LANTERN, DO YOU FEEL IT?**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**FEAR."**_

The sphere exploded.

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**Mildly unsatisfying, I hope you liked it, though. I was unsure how to do the Parallax fight well, because how do you describe fighting something that massive? I tried my best though, and i assure you its not how I usually do fight scenes, I like my fights more in depth and detailed. I didn't want to create stupidity like the GL movie though, so I took a few details and modified them, making it more...er...realistic?**

**I have ideas for all of them but would appreciate reviews so I know which interpretation you like best, and I'll do those.**

**_The Followers of this story, pleaaase review? I would like input from frequent readers to see if Im keeping you satisfied!_**


	20. Chapter 19- GL vs Parallax (Part 1)

**A/N- Been real busy lately. My break is over and now I have tons of work so I barely have time to type. :/ But I promise atleast one update per week.**

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**CHAPTER 19- LANTERN VS PARALLAX (PART 1)**

**DEEP SPACE- **

The sphere of energy exploded with an outburst that pushed Hal back several miles. Spots danced in front of his eyes, and he passed out, floating into the void.

He had no way of knowing what was going on…

The monster behind him roared, and that was his last sensation as he faded...

* * *

Hal opened his eyes, blinking back the involuntary water in his eyes. He felt nauseous. He sat up on the bed he had been on, and tried to breathe. Coughing, he fell off the makeshift mattress. _Where am I?_

He looked like he was in some sort of infirmary. There were fishlike bipeds tending to other wounded Lanterns beside him. One of them noticed Hal on the ground and lifted him up. Disorientated, he grasped the aliens arm, and noticed the ring on his finger was blinking rapidly. That could mean 2 things. One was that the ring was low on charge, which was likely, and the other was that he was wanted on Oa.

Not wanting an explanation to why he was there; he knew that it was the aliens' duty to help the Lantern Corps, Hal glanced around the room for signs of Kilowog. He caught sight of him in the corner, seemingly fully healed, but sulking. _Typical._

He stumbled over to the corner. "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself."

"Really, kid. Can it."

Hal smiled weakly. "We couldn't do it…"

"Hal, Parallax is heading for Earth before Oa. It's taking a small detour towards your Sol system, and it _will _destroy your home world."

Hal was shocked. "Why?!"

"It seems to have taken a personal interest in you."

Hal gulped nervously. It was not good news to know there was a giant fear monster out for revenge against you. He looked up at Kilowog. "We have to stop it."

"Yeah kid, we tried that with a group of our best Lanterns and a blockade. Look what's left. Do you think two of us could take that thing on?"

"We have to try?"

Kilowog laughed, "That's why you're the strongest Lantern I've ever met…because you're brave, bravest little dumbass I've ever met. But you are going to get yourself killed."

Hal grimaced, remembering a conversation a long long time ago that he had had with Bruce. Hal had been intimidating Bruce to stay away from Diana. Bruce had just looked at him, seemingly bored with his shouting "Stay away from her!" He had only said one thing before walking away as if nothing had transpired. "Bravery is by far the kindest word for Stupidity, is it not?"

Hal's temper rose, that conversation was not a particularly happy memory. _Bravery is something shown in the best of us, not the likes of Bruce Wayne. _The slick, dark haired prat was not one that Hal had ever seen being courageous. He never deserved Diana, to him she was just another prize to be won, in his long list of hearts he had played with. Hal wouldn't let Diana fall prey to his flirtatious looks and megalomaniac personality. Luckily she had more than half a brain and was immune to Wayne.

Hal was jerked back to the present when Kilowog thrust something into his hands. It was a Lantern Power battery. Hal nodded his thanks and recharged the ring. "Kilowog, are you coming with me?"\

"I can't kid, the Guardians have called me back to Oa"

"But what about Earth!"

"Collateral damage"

Hal's eyes widened. _COLLATERAL DAMAGE?! The extinction of an entire race is… collateral damage!?_ He had already been irritated with the Guardians for refusing to let him go home, now he was _pissed. _

Not saying a word, he left Kilowog looking at his own feet. Exiting the planet's atmosphere, he flew towards the star in the center of the system. Stopping close to it, he felt the raw heat of the red star, and while that heat simmered, he came to a silent conclusion. _Fine. I'll do it myself._

"Ring, Which way to Earth."

"Co-ordinates do not match on the database, planet no longer exists."

Hal gasped at first, but then reconsidered. _The guardians have already marked off the planet as dead…_

He asked the ring where the planet "would have been", and headed in that direction, taking a ship from the fish planet. The ship was old and beat up, but it only had to get him home. The Phantom drive simulator copied technology from an old race of aliens who were known around the galaxy, Kryptonians. They were the most technologically advanced race in the universe, but they had died out, their planet had imploded. Hal had become a Lantern only a week after the extinction of the Kryptonians, so it was a much discussed topic among the Lanterns. Personally, Hal thought that Kryptonians were stupid. They never left their home even though they were going to die, they were technologically advanced, but barbaric, with military coups happening throughout their history, and they were inhuman, keeping prisoners in the Phantom Zone.

Hal thanked them for the technology that would allow him to reach home in less than a minute, though. That he was grateful for.

As he reached the blue planet, the ship broke down, and Hal flew out from it. He considered seeing Diana and his friends first, but he had to inform the government. He flew directly into the Oval Office, the ring preventing any security measures from being activated. The president was relaxing on his chair, reading data in front of him. Hal glimpsed something about Gotham and a string of terrorist attacks, and something about a mysterious "Bat-Man".

He touched down softly, and tapped the president's shoulder.

The man turned around sharply and asked a string of questions. "Who are you!? How did you get in here?! Why are you…green?"

" ...there is a threat to this planet… I'm here to help"

* * *

**A/N-** **Next up, the fight comes to Earth. Parallax Vs GL SMACKDOWN. Action filled...**

**And the expectant BM/WW shipper horde, patience, darlings, patience.**


	21. Chapter 20- GL vs Parallax (Part 2)

**CHAPTER 20- LANTERN VS PARALLAX (PART 2)**

**A/N-Hehe, a week...More like 12 hours. Idk, I just sat down with my computer and went bezerk. A really fun chapter, fighting, insight, character development, and plot development as well.**

* * *

Hal had a lot of explaining to do, and he managed as much as he could. Experience told him that giving the people a chance to allow him to help would be more beneficial than doing things by force. Eventually, the President allowed him secrecy on his identity. He nodded his thanks, and turned to fly away, but the man still had a question to ask.

"Do you need any help, son?"

"No. I will take care of it. I promise, Sir," Hal put his hand on his chest. "No one will be harmed today."

* * *

He flew out into the stratosphere, the air thinning and making him fall back to his ring to help him breathe. The expectation of the following fight clung to the air like a sick stench. Hal closed his eyes while the ring on his finger was glowing brighter and brighter with the impending presence which had entered Hals vicinity.

"**SO, WE MEET AGAIN, LANTERN. DO YOU FEEL THE FEAR? WATCH YOUR PLANET DIE."**

Hal kept his eyes closed, letting the aura of the ring possess him. He felt the energy of the strongest will seep into his mind. He opened his eyes with a jerk, the green iridescence floating around his body like a shield. _For the people of earth…for Diana._

He rushed forwards with a streak of speed, and collided with the monster head on. The green energy was an odd colour, more luminous or strong than anything Hal had ever summoned before. He punched, again and again, the gigantic fists colliding with the beast which was simpering away from the will.

The monster lashed out, the whip hitting Hal like a ton of bricks. He shielded from the blow with a makeshift Captain America Shield, the first thing that popped into his mind. The shield cracked, and he felt the weight of the blow, but he was not injured. Parallax expanded in size.

"**DO NOT FIGHT IT, HAL JORDAN. I CAN FEEL YOUR WEAKNESS."**

Hal did not argue, because the falsity of the beasts words was evident. The doubt that lingered behind them was enough incentive for Hal to make his next move. He imagined a gigantic missile firing from his arms. The rocket exploded in Parallax's face, burning the flesh. Mutilated, it roared, and flung its entire body over Hal. He couldn't breathe. He was suffocating. _Air…_

The tightness of the hold was so strong that struggle was useless. _Is this it? Is this how I die? _Hal felt his lungs clench and expand for gasping, but he was breathing in fear. He tried to summon some protection, but the dread and panic clouded his thoughts. _No…please…. I didn't even say Goodbye to Diana…_

The monster roared in victory…

Only to feel a drip of water inside its body. One, tiny, miniscule, tear. One drop. One drop. Symbolising not fear, but loss…and **Anger. **

Hal screamed, the last of his breath used in pushing outwards. Parallax would've opened its mouth in surprise, but it had no time to respond as its insides exploded.

The shredded remains of the colossus were tossed around in sheer rage. Hal fought with a fury, all of his frustrations against the guardians coming out in his fists. Parallax was shocked to see this…this _Boy_...causing so much pain to it. But it could not do anything. It watched the fear power fade and succumb to will. The beast itself was feeling its greatest weapon. Hal couldn't feel his arms, he just kept pushing them forwards, and summoning whatever came to his mind to smash through the layers of fear.

A baseball bat, a chainsaw, boxing gloves, all of his childhood memories…a plane….

"_Dad, can I come to see you fly planes today?"_

"_Not today, kiddo, I've got important work to do!"_

"_Please, dad!"_

"_Oh Hal…"_

_A scattered mess on the runway. Fire. Blood. Tears. Pain and Loss._

_A nine year old with no one. _

_The scarred remains of his father._

_A funeral._

_ANGER._

Hal blasted a wave of pure will towards the monster, which was fittingly paralyzed, unable to move against the onslaught. The wave hit the beast with a blast. The attacks had pushed the monster out of orbit, and Hal was determined to keep it away from the planet. Bringing his emotions under control, he stopped, punching so hard Parallax was blown away several miles. He pulled the tentacles apart with shackles, and it was now _cowering. _

Hal took a deep breath. Every Lantern had their oaths, their words that would define them…the words that would set them apart from the other Lanterns. Hal didn't have an oath. He would charge his ring in silence. As he fought in these moments, he remembered something his father had said to him…so very long ago.

"_Hal, no matter how bright the day is, there will always be someone doing evil…no matter how black the night…make sure no mischief goes unnoticed…because those who do bad things, should be scared of consequences. You remember that, okay son?"_

He didn't want this responsibility, but the ring had chosen him. Because it saw something. Will. Responsibility was something he would have to accept now. He was a GREEN LANTERN!

He held up his ring, a vortex of energy swirling around it.

"_**IN BRIGHTEST DAY…"**_

He punched Parallax, the first creating a hole in the beast.

"_**IN BLACKEST NIGHT…"**_

He covered himself with energy and barrelled through its centre.

"_**NO EVIL SHALL ESCAPE MY SIGHT…"**_

The next blow ripped through the flesh.

"_**LET THOSE WHO WORSHIP EVILS MIGHT…"**_

He punched downwards, his ribs aching with effort, and pushed Parallax forwards, the sheer momentum ripping the shreds of the monster apart.

"_**BEWARE MY POWER…"**_

He concentrated as the beast roared, and absorbed as much energy as he could, pushing it outwards with the force of a bomb.

"_**GREEN LANTERNS LIGHT!"**_

The explosion was devastating, the monster disintegrating into nothing. The swirling shockwaves backlashing Hal into a heavy blow. That coupled with his fatigue was more than enough to cause his unconsciousness.

Hal fell backwards…into the void once more…

* * *

He woke up in a hospital bed. On Earth. The President himself was present.

"You saved us kid. You really did."

Hal tried to sit up, but his ribs let out a flinch of pain. "Thank you, ."

"I should be thanking you. And you should be thanking that friend of yours, that Kilowog. He's a scary one, but he saved your life. He's a Lantern too?"

"Yes, sir, of a different space sector."

"So we aren't as alone as we thought…so these…_Space police…_Er…Green Lantern Corps are protecting us? And the rest of the universe from threats like this…Parallax?"

"Yes…"

Hal's ring flashed, and a holographic message sprung from it.

"**Hal Jordan…you owe the guardians a great debt. We thank you, and allow you to remain on Earth as was your intention. We will notify you if your services are required."**

Hal sighed in relief. _I can stay! I can go back to Diana!...At least for the time being…._

He lied back down and smiled at the President. "My identity will remain safe? And will you give me freedom?"

The man looked hesitant, but paused only momentarily to say "Of course son. But I have a request."

Hal smiled. "You want me to help the people of Earth, don't you?"

"Yes…"

"I'll be glad to. But I can't do it alone…you wouldn't happen to know others like me would you?"

"There's one in Gotham City. Calls himself the Batman. He stopped one of the Jokers terrorist attacks a week ago. He's a vigilante, but he should be on our side. Not too comfortable with government protocols though. He's the only one we know of."

"I'll go and meet this Batman…" Hal smiled, closing his eyes to sleep again.

* * *

Next time he opened his eyes he was out of the hospital in three minutes. Finding a power battery left for him by Kilowog, he charged his ring and headed towards home. Powering his ring down, in normal clothes, he informed his foster parents that he had been kidnapped, but the police saved him. It was an outrageous lie, but not as outrageous as the truth. They were happy to see him, but Hal felt something was amiss. It was evening time, so he headed towards the football ground where they would usually play. They should have been there, but none of them were.

He flew around the city trying to find out where any of his friends were, but they had vanished, they were all presumed lost. Bruce was missing, his flat empty and no trace of him ever being there. Victor had gone out of the country to Cuba. Hal was shocked to see Barry in a coma, no trace of him waking up anytime soon. He had been struck by lightning, apparently. Hal was nervous…he knocked on Diana's door but no one answered it. He forced it open with a key of green light, and saw it empty. At this point he had a pit at the bottom of his stomach and was very unnerved.

Hal had even flown till Smallville and asked the Kent's where their son was. They said they didn't care, he ran off without telling them, he moved on and found something better to do, obviously.

Hal thought them to be very rude that way, and that would likely explain Clark's antisocial and sometimes erratic behaviour. He sat down on the roof of a water tank, nervous. _All of them…they are all gone. I'm alone? I have no one to share this responsibility with?_

Before these morose thoughts could overcome him, the sane side of him told him to go to Gotham, and find out what this…Batman was about.

He flew towards the city, and seeing the sights and sounds of the hustle in Gotham made him want to beat up all the cheats and robbers on the streets. He momentarily thought he glimpsed a reddish blue blur making its way towards Gotham outskirts, but he reasoned it to be his imagination, nothing could move that fast.

He searched for an hour, but found no Batman anywhere.

Until there was an explosion downtown. He rushed towards it and came face to face with a monstrous looking man with a mask on, and greenish tubes plugged into his ripped muscles. The greenish liquid was pouring into his body, making his veins look a sick green. This man was throwing bombs the size of barrels towards Gotham Hall. Hal grimaced and quickly captured the man/monster whatever it was in a green containment box.

Then, he saw a shadowy figure glide down from the top of the hall. Hal hadn't seen the ghostlike apparition approach. He blinked. The ghost spoke. "So, Bane was your big strategy was it, Joker. Hmph. You should have tried harder."

Hal glided down. "You must be Batman."

The dark figure narrowed his eyes towards Hal, and that made him feel uneasy for some reason. "Green Lantern. I was monitoring your battle with Parallax. You did a good job. But for now, don't interfere here. If you want a city to keep justice in, find another, Gotham is mine."

Hal shifted uneasily. "Yeah, sure…Batman…"

"I don't want metahumans in Gotham. Leave. I can handle this."

"But I caught him for you!"

The caped man stepped over and unplugged Bane's green tubes. "I didn't need your help. Now Leave." he muttered something that sounded suspiciously like _"It's bad enough I had to ask for one Meta's help, I don't want yours."_

Lantern arched an eyebrow at that. _So there is another one. The reddish blue blur! _"Yeah fine whatever. I'm leaving anyway, hardass."

Batman didn't reply, choosing to drag the unconscious Bane towards a machine that Hal thought might have been a car. He put Bane inside it and pressed some buttons on his wrist, and the car drove away. Then, he turned towards Hal. "Look, if you want to be helpful, don't try to be. Go deal with the Meta problem in Central City. Leave here. _Now._"

Hal opened his mouth to respond, but shut it again. Irritated, he flew off, leaving the caped man to find out Jokers next plan.

_I hate that guy. What a prick._

As he flew, he thought about what he had discovered. _Hmmm…so Batman couldn't manage Joker himself, he asked the help of another Meta…so there are 3 of us. Unless Batman isn't one…_ As far as Hal could tell, Batman hadn't shown any powers, and his dislike of metahumans proved that he probably wasn't one.

_So this Meta and I. Two of us…great..._

He flew towards Central City, a mission in mind.

* * *

**A/N- So Hal meets Bruce, obviously not realizing who it is, and he has doubts on another meta.**


	22. Chapter 21- (S)

**CHAPTER-21 (S)**

3 months, he had trained. Mastering fighting techniques taught to him by Bruce, increasing his strength, building himself a log cabin, and wrestling bears for entertainment…

He had gotten himself a mobile phone, selling timber which he had cut down accidently using his heat vision. That and the hearing were two things he had yet to master. Granted, the environment was not pleased with his cutting down the trees, but it had been accidental…

He rarely ate, getting energy from the sun, but when he did, he ate to his fill, foraging for berries and fruits, those were rare in the cold wilderness.

His strength increased and increased. He was strong enough to lift gigantic logs of wood and stack them, punch through mountains, and create fissures in the ground for water when he could not find it. He roamed, exploring the area, but he always returned to the cabin at night. He did not want to be in the woods at dark, even though nothing could hurt him. There was just something about the place.

But one day, Bruce had called him. He had given him the number for emergencies, leaving a message only saying- **Number for contact- CK.**

Bruce hadn't responded, but Clark knew he had gotten the number. Hacking Wayne's satellite so he couldn't locate him was easy enough, what with the super speed and all.

He had picked up the phone, "Bruce."

"I need your help"

"I'm on my way. Give me half an hour. I'm in Canada right now. It'll take me a while to run over."

Bruce didn't reply, instead choosing to hang up.

Clark wore the suit and went to Gotham.

He entered the city and the jumble of noise gave him a mild migraine. While heading towards the manor, he glimpsed something above him, a flying green man. Clark had assumed that was another meta. He would ask Bruce about that.

He reached the manor, and entered. He smiled at a surprised Alfred and went down to the cave. _I knew there would be another cave._

Bruce wasn't there. Clark glanced across the computers and deduced what Bruce needed help with. He scanned through the data with his speed and smiled. Bruce had been busy. Batman was almost famous in the city. In 3 months. They were calling him _The Dark Knight._

Clark grinned, the goofiness of the whole situation was so amusing. He heard a quiet noise behind him, one he was sure no normal human could have heard. The floating down of a cape, the flutter of footsteps, almost noiseless in the cave. He didn't look up from the screen. "Bruce."

"Kent. I need you to infiltrate Joker Clan headquarters. Find their next move. They recruit young, thankfully, and you look just the type."

Clark nodded, he had guessed that much. He saw Bruce give him a once over, as if to say _What are you wearing?_

Clark shifted. "Er…Its not spandex. Its nanotech." He explained to Bruce about the Kryptonians, leaving out the part about Zod's impending attack.

"So, the S. It means…Hope?" Bruce asked.

Clark grimaced. "I know. Lame."

"It's flashy, Kent. It suits you."

"Shut up, Mr_.Dark Knight"_

"Underwear on top…"

"Hey you have it too…"

"This won't do. Red, Blue, and Yellow…I could make you another suit with the same technology, just more…useful. You can't blend in, you can't have any cover whatsoever."

"I don't think I am supposed to. It's supposed to be a symbol of hope…"

"Fine, keep it. But wear informal clothing above it, you have to fit with the Clan members."

"You called me over from Canada for this?"

"I didn't have anyone else."

Clark didn't know what to say to this rare sentimental moment. He only nodded and wore the t-shirt and jeans, keeping the suit beneath it. He pulled out the baby blanket and set it by the table. Bruce gave the blanket a brief glance. He looked thoughtful for a moment, and then spoke suddenly. "Cape."

"What?"

Bruce smirked, and tied the blanket to Clark's back. Clark blinked, but said nothing. He pressed the button on his belt and willed the Nanites to attach the blanket. He adjusted the suit accordingly and disguised it underneath the casual outfit. He smirked at Bruce. "Glasses."

Bruce handed Clark a thickly framed, heavy pair of spectacles. Bruce had used them often undercover. They were powerless, but disguised the face quite easily, making you difficult to recognise.

Bruce gave Clark a communicator. "There are Clan recruitments in Arkham. Get there. Find out Joker's next move. Get out. Do. Not. Use. Your. Powers. You understand me?"

Clark nodded. "By the way, Bruce, I saw a green man flying above the city while coming here."

Bruce smirked. "Well co-incidence this, that was our old friend Hal."

Clark gaped. _What are the odds of that?!_"Did you tell him who you were?"

"No."

"Did you tell him you knew who he was?"

"No."

"What are his powers?"

Bruce told him about the Lantern Corps and Parallax. Clark looked at his feet. "Looks like this worlds getting a lot smaller…"

Bruce gazed in the distance, a hazy look in his eyes. Clark knew that look well. "What happened to Diana?"

Bruce grimaced. "She's missing. Barry is in a coma and Victor is in Cuba."

"Looks like the whole gang broke apart…didn't we."

"We aren't a gang, Kent. We never were. You think the two of us were ever accepted in there? You especially, drooling over Diana."

"I did NOT _drool_ over Diana!"

Bruce gritted his teeth. Clark stormed off towards Arkham, leaving a _clearly _disturbed Batman to monitor the comms and pinpoint Joker's location.

Clark could only think one thing as he ran. _Bruce…is infatuated with Diana. And he will never admit it. Neither to himself, nor to her. I need to find her. It's the least I can do for him…_

* * *

**A/N-The red blue blur that Hal saw last chapter was Clark XD**


	23. Chapter 22- Batman

**A/N- Sorry for the wait, here is Batman. Some of your questions will be answered ;)**

* * *

**CHAPTER 22- BATMAN**

Bruce watched as Clark left him alone with his thoughts. He had acted very harsh. Clark was after all the only person who had stood by him…other than Alfred, of course.

But something about him. Something twitched, something irritable. Diana would never go for the dark, broody type, she liked flashy, like Hal. And Hal was a Green Lantern now. More complications! Bruce didn't know what Hal's reaction would be if he found out that he was the Batman…

Should he tell Hal that Clark was a meta? Should he not keep secrets? He scoffed to out loud. _Why does he need to know? What has he ever done for me? _

Bruce gritted his teeth again. _Damn emotions, bring them under control! _He didn't know whether it was the hormones or his inexplicable obsession with Diana talking, but a voice kept telling him to abandon all this Batman nonsense, to forget about the Joker, to find out where Diana was, to confess everything, to…

_What am I doing!? I'm losing my mind! _

He focused on the screen, watching Clark move towards Arkham. And he waited. It was a shame he had to ask for his help, Bruce could get so much more information infiltrating the Clan, but he was too easily recognized, and the members did a check to see if you were wearing a disguise or not. Hopefully Clark could get inside without the members looking under his shirt and jacket. They would jump to conclusions, of course.

Clark sent a message- **I'm in. They are taking initiates for gassing. I can handle it. Joker's next target looks to be big, he has a lot of members here. **

The Clan initiates would be gassed with a drug that would make them susceptible to external influences and fear. A gift to the Joker from Scarecrow, of course. The drug would make them reveal everything about themselves in fright. Bruce had a filter of course, in his mask and nose, but Clark didn't…

Of course his meta abilities could protect against that, but he still had to pretend to be under the influence. Keeping a watch on the screen, he reinforced his suit, replacing the batarangs and all the utility belt features.

_Hal is underneath the government. He was asked to meet me. He couldn't have known any other way. Looks like the president is finally realising the possibility of larger threats than wars and crime. _

He would try to get Clark too, if he could. With that powerful assets, no one could stand against America. Bruce knew what would happen then. There would be colonialism all over again, America conquering the world instead of Britain this time. The meta's under government controls would be expendable soldiers. He would never join this sort of movement. They want an elite meta team, Bruce was not in.

But terrorist attacks and crime syndicates needed to be stopped, and Batman could only do so much. Other big cities were there which needed Heroes. Coast City, Starling City, Keystone City, Metropolis, and Central City especially. The metahuman scourge there was too much. Meta's from everywhere gathered there for easy power and money.

Central City and Gotham were infamous. Bruce could handle Gotham, but he couldn't take on the massive number of meta's in Central, he was reluctant to admit. That was why he told Hal to go there.

His monitor pinged again. **Joker is at Gotham Police Department. He has a Bomb. I can't get out of here, there are too many of them. If I try anything now, you won't be able to catch him. The Clan members will riot on the streets. GET HIM.**

That was all the signal he needed. He jumped into the Batmobile, which had replaced the old one which had melted. He revved the engine and reached the building adjacent to the Police department. Parking in an alley, he scaled the building and waited on top of it.

His thoughts started straying again, and he was thinking of Diana. Her smooth hair, the way her eyes glistened with delight whenever someone flattered her, her smile which she had never given to him…

He gritted his teeth. _I think all guys love her in some way or the other…why is she so perfect? Couldn't she be a provocative, rude, mean bitch? Someone easy to forget? No…_

He tried not to think of the fact that she was missing… somewhere….lost.

He almost missed the Clan member peeping from beside the alleyway towards the building. Cursing himself, he threw a batarang at the painted face man's arm. The man couldn't even scream out in pain, as Bruce silently landed beside him and clamped his mouth shut. He pulled him into the dark and held him by his collar.

"Where is Joker. Now!"

"I'll never tell you, Batman!"

He twisted the batarang stuck in the man's arm, and he moaned in agony. "Argh!...Okay! He's in the truck!"

Bruce looked towards the street, where a pickup truck had pulled up, with a dozen people in the back, carrying briefcases. In the driver's seat was a demented looking, wild haired man with bizarre green hair and scars near his lips. _Joker._ Bruce hid behind the corner of the alley and rolled a smoke bomb towards the truck.

The bomb went off, a hiss of smoke dispersing into the vicinity, coughing, and a flurry of muffled screams and vanishing men.

When the air cleared, there was only three of them left. Bruce backed off into the shadows when Joker got out from the truck. The madman spoke to supposedly nothing. "Ah, Batsy! I was hoping you could join us! I have a surprise for you!"

Batman stiffened, something was very wrong here. From the alleys around him, 3 other trucks pulled in, all armed and full of Clan members. "Like my new recruits, Batsy?" Joker cackled.

The men spread out, searching the vicinity. Bruce was perched on a fire escape ladder on the 3rd floor of the alley. He gritted his teeth. They found the Batmobile and were now vandalising it. "Nice car!" Joker laughed.

One of the painted faces looked up directly at him, and then winked. _Kent._

Bruce threw another smoke bomb towards the center group, which were setting up bombs all in the vicinity of the police station. None of the cops had noticed anything so far, which was a clear sign of the standards of Gotham PD. _Too bad Gordon is off duty today. _

The smoke bomb went off and the group spread out, all coughing, except Joker, who was grinning, unaffected by the noxious fumes. Bruce looked around for Clark and found him taking down the men near the fire escape. When the alley was clear, Bruce glided down and took cover in the dark. Clark wiped his face with his jacket and smiled at Bruce, signalling _Stay here. _

_Who does he think he is? _Bruce could only think. Before Clark could do anything rash, Batman jumped out from the alley. There was a hail of machine gun fire, but most of it was dodged or parried. The others missed completely. They were afraid. Using another smoke bomb and the shadows as cover, he quickly took down the men who were randomly firing and saw that only two people were left rigging the bombs, ignoring the panic going on around them. Joker, and…Harleen Quinzel. _I knew she was involved! _

Bruce deflected some bullets from the fire with his cape and dove towards Joker. The guns stopped firing, as they didn't want to hurt their beloved idol…

Bruce was zonked on the head by a glass bottle, which had been thrown by Joker, who had turned towards Batman. "Harley, take care of the bombs, I've got a bat problem…time to call pest control…"

He laughed maniacally as he pulled out a heavy revolver. _3mm bullets. I can't parry those._

Batman jumped out of the way of the first one, but the second hit his left arm, stuck in his metal platelets protecting his elbow. The impact was a clear fracture, but it didn't puncture. As Joker prepared to fire again, there was a reddish blue blur that zipped around the building, disarming and removing the bombs. Joker turned around and gasped. "Heyyy! No fair Batsy!"

Bruce took the distracted Joker head on, ramming into him with his right elbow, knocking the lunatic unconscious. The now enraged Harleen screamed at him. "You stay away from my Mr.J!"

She took out a large hammer that was hanging to her belt and was about to smash the staggering Batman's skull, but a hand gripped hers as she was bringing the hammer down. It slipped from her hands, and her knuckles cracked and she let out a tiny gasp of pain. The figure in front of her was wearing spandex undies on top of a blue outfit with an S symbol in the centre, and with a red cape that was ridiculously flashy, draping behind the imposing presence. The wiry thin arms of the boy and the shaped ribs underneath the suit was clearly not an indicator of strength.

"Who-who are you?"

"None of your business. I suggest you walk yourselves into the police station, you've saved them the effort of going to get you."

Harleen could say nothing as the boy blurred around, gathering the members and piling them together near the door of the station. Then, he knocked once, nodded towards Batman, and rushed away.

Bruce took the Joker into his scratched and beaten up Batmobile (which was thankfully still functional) and drove away, leaving an astonished Harleen unable to close her mouth.

_That fool interfered! I told him not to use his powers. He will have to answer to this. I'm not allowing another meta in Gotham, no matter whether they are good or evil. _

He dropped Joker at Arkham Asylum and met Clark back at the Manor.

"Kent, I told you not to use your powers."

"You were hurt!"

"Don't do it again"

"Bruce…Have you searched for Diana?"

"No, Clark, I haven't." It was obviously a lie, but Bruce felt vulnerable showing that he had given in to his hormones. _If at this age I understand that I'm only attracted to her because of hormones, then what will happen when they fade?_

Bruce clenched his teeth as Clark gave him a worried look.

"Get back to Canada, Kal-El…" Batman hissed.

Clark gritted his teeth and raced off.

* * *

**A/N- REview, REread, FAVorite, and FOLLow :)**


	24. Chapter 23- The Metropolis Incident- (1)

**A/n- Setup, Setup, Setup.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 23- THE METROPOLIS INCIDENT (PART 1- Incursion)**

**CANADIAN WILDERNESS**

Clark sat down by the stream, washing his suit. The Nanites had permanently degraded into cloth, and the fabric was no longer active with nanotech. The Kryptonians were arriving today, and Clark was nervous, as well as relieved. After today, he wouldn't have to suffer the constant droning agony and the disapproval of Batman to help him patrol and help people. He knew they wouldn't accept Clark. He finished washing the cloth and wore it, the fabricated Nanites stretching around his muscles, which he had developed over the past few weeks.

All the preparation he had gone through was for this moment. He hadn't told Bruce about the impending attack, and he expected a thorough chewing out after Zod would be defeated. _If he is defeated. _Jor-El had told him that Zod was ruthless, and extremely patriotic towards Krypton. There was a large chance that he would attempt to terraform Earth into the planet. Clark had asked "Why can't he terraform Mars or any of the other planets? Why would he come after Earth?"

"Your DNA contains the genes required to restart the birthing process. When he finds you, he will kill you to extract it. And once he sees the full power you are capable of here on this planet with a young sun, he will sculpt a perfect world for the Kryptonians, one with the beauty of Krypton and the power of the yellow sun. He wipe out humanity like insects and once the home world will no longer satisfy him, he or his descendants will move to other planets, repeating the cycle. You have to stop him. Krypton made its mistake, it had its chance."

Clark was not sure how he would do that. Standing up, he wore the suit, who's darkish blue had faded into an lustreless pale sky blue. The cape fluttering behind him in the wind, Clark looked out upon the landscape one last time. Taking a deep breath, he used his speed to push himself forward with a sonic boom. He ran at whirlwind speeds, the world around him blurring as he reached the Antarctic in an hour and a half. He located the baby ship and lifted it up effortlessly, carrying it back to Canada. He set it down in front of his Cabin and waited for the ship to appear.

As if on cue, there was static on the TV, and he could hear a frequency that was distinct and unnoticeable to human ears. There was a message on the TV, a voice over static and a haunting image in the screen.

"**My name is General Zod.**

**I come from a planet far away from here.**

**I have been exploring the stars, to find your planet.**

**For some time, your world has sheltered one of my ships. It came to my notice that this ship has altered the DNA of one of your own, making him like us, the people of Krypton. **

**I suggest that you give this person to me.**

**For unknown reasons, he chose to hide his true identity…He has blended in with all of you.**

**He looks like you. But he's not one of you.**

**For those of you who know where he might be…The fate of the planet, is in your hands.**

**For the one who has the blood of Kal-El, I say this.**

**Give up within half a rotation period of your planet…Or this planet's people will suffer the punishment."**

Clark grimaced and looked up at the sky. He could see the ship, the hulking conglomeration of metal. It looked like it had been pieced together from scraps, And he was sure it had been. Jor-El had told him about the outposts of the Kryptonians on other worlds. It was likely that Zod now had equipment, information and _weapons. _This was going to be more difficult than he thought. Combining both his super vision and x-ray vision, he saw there were 12 Kryptonians on-board the ship.

_12!? All of which will gain powers from the sun._

He hoped the 5 months more of exposure that he had would boost his powers.

He saw the ship jettison two smaller ships out towards the Arctic, trying to contact the ship in the ice, his fortress…

Clark blazed off towards the Arctic, the trees igniting with the speed of his running. The cape was hovering in midair behind him as he ran, reaching the ship in almost no time.

The smaller ships landed close to the cascade of ice that he was hiding behind. He had to judge their abilities first, and their intentions. He had already destroyed the birthing matrix, and was expectant of the anger of Zod. He watched as four Kryptonians walked out of the ship, and evaluated their new powers. There was one female. She seemed the quickest to adapt, jumping towards the ship. Luckily, her helmet prevented her from gaining exposure to her senses, otherwise one look would be enough for her to see Clark using X-ray vision.

She ripped open the hull, and dove inside. Clark waited with bated breath for the result of his actions. There was a scream that ripped through the air, one of agony that chilled his bones. He was frozen in his tracks, unable to move. The female jumped out, enraged. If Clark engaged now, he was sure that she would rip him to pieces. She angrily shouted to her comrades. "_Tell the general what the human has done using our strength! This planet must FALL!"_

The others cowered and flinched with nervousness at confronting the General with such bad news. If the birthing matrix was destroyed, then without the gene code, there was no hope for Krypton. Clark felt for the Codex key tucked safely in his boots, and felt it intact. They needed Clark and the Codex now. He watched on as the female remained behind when the others left to report the news.

He stealthily blurred behind another Ice sheet closer to her. She was facing the ship with dead eyes, the cold scowl on her face marring her beautiful but distant features. Clark moved behind her slowly, and she did not notice until he was close enough to touch her. He reached out to touch her shoulder, some stupid part of him still hoping that talking and sorting things out was still an option, even though a battle was inevitable. She jumped up in surprise and outrage, as she recognized the symbol on his chest.

Not wasting time on words, she punched his chest, and Clark was blown back, the wind torn from his lungs as he felt pain for the first time in 5 months. He hit the ice sheet with a thud, and pulled himself out from the imprint he had made with his body. He jumped up as high as he could and flew downwards, aiming to drive her through with his fists. She crossed her arms in a block, but was still knocked downwards, creating a crack in the ice. He picked her up with an effortless heave by her ankle and smacked her on the ground the other side. She let out a grunt of pain, but recovered quickly, kicking his hand with her other foot as she was on the ground. Boosting herself forward with a rush of speed, she dived and tripped him, swinging the kick around easily.

He fell and she caught his cape, yanking him forwards and punching his jaw repeatedly. He caught her fist and pushed backwards, the force causing her to cry out in pain. She lashed out repeatedly but he used his enhanced speed to dodge her frantic punches.

Tired of playing games, he caught her wrist and flipped her onto the ground, the shockwave created a cloud of ice. Panting, she groaned, almost begging for mercy. _Looks like lessons from Bruce paid off._ Clark smirked, and lifted her up by her neck. "Will you leave this planet in peace?"

The Kryptonian smiled and spat at Clark. "You do not deserve this power, fool!"

"Will. You. Leave. This. Planet."

"Never."

He roared and threw her down on the ground, knocking her unconscious. Glancing upwards, he saw and heard the Kryptonian ships arriving. Ignoring them, he lifted up the body of the passed out beauty and rushed off towards mainland.

When he arrived in Canada, she had still not awoken. He kept her inside baby Kal-El's ship and secured her firmly with metal bars. He sighed and slowly woke her up.

"I'm sorry I hurt you. What is your name?"

She said nothing, choosing to look at Clark as if he were not worth her time. _If that's what you want to play at. _He scoffed and walked away, but then something stopped him momentarily…a whisper, barely audible even to him.

"_Faora"_

He pretended he did not hear and went into his log cabin. Hacking into the WayneTech Satellite, he scanned for Zod's next move. The government was taking drastic measures to find him, to get him to surrender. He paced agitatedly back and forth in the room. A direct showdown would lead to innocent people dying, and he wasn't entirely sure he could take down 11 of them. But if he didn't surrender, they would kill them all, purging the planet and using the World Engines to create New Krypton. They would do that anyway, but he had to find a way to stop them without too much chaos.

He paced for an hour, trying to think, until he heard banging on the metal, his captive clearly asking for his attention. He found her hitting her head onto the metal backboard of the shuttle. "Let me out, fool!"

He gritted his teeth, and pulled off the restraints on her feet. She jumped out of the ship, and landed with a crash at his feet. "Take me back to Zod, and I will ask him to spare the planet."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because you know that if you don't, he will find you. And you cannot take the might of Krypton head on. Unless you surrender and deliver me to Zod, you and the insects on this planet will perish."

_So be it. _

He picked her up in his arms and boosted towards the government's rendezvous point for scouting for the "alien". He rushed into the camp and set Faora down, standing in front of the armed forces, all ready for any battle. As soon as he had set her down, all the guns were pointed to him. The army general spoke. "My name is General Wade Eiling. You've got our attention, now tell us what you want."

"I want you to deliver this Woman to Zod."

"Will you surrender?"

"Don't play games with me, General. Will you do what I asked?"

"Will you surrender?"

"If you insist…but on my terms. I will meet Zod myself."

"You pose a threat to national security. We can't just allow you to parade around doing what you please."

Feeling a bit cocky for some reason, Clark decided to be a prick. "You're welcome to try and stop me, though I doubt you could."

The general shook his head. "We wanted to avoid conflict..." he frowned. "Fire at Target! Shoot to Apprehend!"

Several guns went off, but there was a roaring sonic boom as Clark jumped up towards the sky, sailing through the air. He landed on his feet a mile away from the camp, leaving Faora behind.

* * *

Seven hours later, Clark had a plan. Zod had asked to meet with the governments head figures and recover Faora and discover the whereabouts of the Human with Kryptonian genes. Smirking, he picked up the shuttle and jumped towards the direction of the landing ship. As soon as Zod activated the World Engine, he would advance.

* * *

**A/N- Next is part 2- Showdown.**


	25. Chapter 24- The Metropolis Incident- (2)

**CHAPTER 24- THE METROPOLIS INCIDENT- (PART 2- Showdown)**

The ship landed on the ground, a heavily armoured Kryptonian walking out of it. He looked at the armada of Tanks gathered around facing him, and a warrior clad in the uniform of the Green Lantern Corps. He pointed at him.

"...Give her to me."

The Lantern nodded and unbound Faora's shackles, allowing her to move towards the Kryptonian. He took her by her wrist, giving her a look of distaste, and shoved her roughly towards the ship. Scowling, she went inside, ready to accept her punishment for failing to capture Clark.

The enigma himself, was a considerable distance away. Half a mile, to be exact. He was perched on a rock formation and was looking at the meeting going on, the shuttle beside him.

The Kryptonian missionary pointed at the general. "Where is the boy?"

"He hasn't shown up yet, but we are working on it. Could you please, just _please _give us more time?"

"This planet will suffer the consequences."

The general frowned, and opened his mouth, about to give the command. Hal charged his ring and was about to blast the ship, when Clark _whooshed _in front of the chaos, wearing a sleek, blue visor which ran down till his jaw, covering his eyes and cheekbones. He hoped he looked unrecognizable enough. He didn't need Hal to recognize him.

The stupefied armada and Kryptonians gaped as Clark strode into the ship, his cape floating behind him as he looked long and hard at Faora and the armoured Alien. They grimaced at him, and locked the doors of the ship, leaving a dumbstruck military and Green Lantern to only be able to wonder what was happening.

* * *

Meanwhile, the President was watching every move, safely from the white house. _Green Lantern is a human, he fights for humanity, to protect us. This boy, on the other hand, has done nothing to help us. How do we know he's not a threat? There is something wrong with his eyes…_

He sipped his coffee as he expectantly waited for Zod's next move. If there was a threat, Asset Green could take care of it.

* * *

Clark looked back only for a second to see Hal nervously fidgeting, waiting to attack. Clark looked at him darkly, and as the door shut, he was glad that he hadn't jumped to attack. He wouldn't need Hal's help, but it wouldn't be ungratefully received. He turned towards the main console to see the armoured man take off his helmet, the gravity and air modifying to Krypton's. Immediately, Clark fell to his knees, vomiting blood on the floor. He had lived with that power for 5 months, and now he was going through withdrawal. Spasms went through his body as he fainted and woke again and again. Looking up, blurry eyed at Faora, he begged silently for help. She spat on him, muttering the words "You're weak, fool".

Vision fading with pain, he told himself that these people weren't worth saving. Last of their kind or not, they were elitists, believed themselves to be better. Krypton had its chance, they would not make Earth into their ideal of a perfect world, one in which Clark could imagine humanity being non-existent.

The ship docked onto the mothership, the world engine. Faora kicked him in the ribs, expecting him to get up. He pushed himself up, but could not stand completely. That was the position Zod found him in as he entered the deck…kneeling.

The Kryptonian General smiled as if he had some perverse inside joke with himself, and looked down at Clark. "Tut Tut Tut…so young, so foolish." Then, a sudden change came over him. Zod lifted him up and tossed him to the wall, denting it. "YOU. **YOU took Krypton away from me. MY people. MY home. And now I will take yours." **He let Clark drop down and kicked him aside. Turning to Faora, he snarled. "Activate the world engine."

Clark would've smiled, if he had the strength. _Zod, so utterly predictable…did you not think Jor-El would've told me about this?_ He thought as blood dripped from his mouth. Hoisting himself into a sitting position, he leaned against the wall, and looked at the Kryptonians all vengefully staring at the two ships on the display going down to the planet's surface.

The first ship set down with a crashing finality in the Indian Ocean. _Cmon, Hal…take that one out._

The second one floated over the most populated city in the world. Metropolis. Clark groaned. _Innocent People are going to die._

Zod looked at Clark lying pathetically against the wall. "The blood of Kal-El. You dare use that symbol? I will crush the hope from you as I crushed your father's."

"You? _You _killed Jor-El?!"

"I would do it again if I had to. There is not a single day when it doesn't haunt me. But it was a decision I had to make. The council was WEAK and naïve…It is only because of their foolish banter we were not able to save Krypton."

"You are a monster, Zod… Krypton had its chance. Your people made your mistakes. But instead of bridging two peoples, you want to establish superiority and make the same mistakes again! Why not guide them to be something better!? WHY NOT TEACH THEM NOT TO MAKE MISTAKES?"

"You dare tell me what to do?! You who is but a child? Filthy, Pathetic HUMAN!"

With that last word, Zod kicked Clark through the wall, into the void of space. He was knocked unconscious with the blow, but he felt…calm. His eyes fluttered open seconds later and he felt a surge of strength as he floated towards the Sun. The rays tickled his face as he saw the ship descending down to Metropolis, the gravity beams now started. Distracted, he was almost hit by a satellite the size of a car. He grabbed on to it quickly and held down on it. _Here goes nothing. _

He pushed down as hard as he could, bending the metal as he pushed off from it, blasting towards Earth. He let gravity work for him as he guided himself towards the field which had the baby shuttle. He was reaching insane speeds…the lack of atmosphere didn't allow any sonic booms, but he was sure that once he breached the exosphere, there would be one. He yelled out in exuberance as he rocketed past the darkness, entering the light. The suit was holding up, and it felt _exhilarating, _to say the least. He wasn't quite flying yet, more like falling with style, but he put his arms forwards and punched through the air, creating a sonic boom. He whooped in excitement as he soared past the mountains and neared the field. Then, things went literally downhill from there. He landed with a gigantic _THUD_, almost like a bomb going off. Coughing and groaning, he dusted off his suit and rushed to the shuttle.

Hoisting it up, he ran towards Metropolis. The exposure to direct sunlight had given him a large power boost, and he was running faster than ever. He ran right into the city and threw the shuttle directly at the engine. The gravity beams stopped and the ship was torn apart from the inside, but not before 2 Kryptonians jumped out from it. They were not wearing any armour and as they fell, Clark could see the effects of the Sun begin to take effect. He hoped that since they were full Kryptonians, they wouldn't get a bigger power boost, but he thought wrong, as when Zod touched the ground, he lost control of his heat vision. The red beams were insanely powerful, much more than Clark's had ever been.

He hid behind buildings, wanting to avoid a direct fight. The second world engine was still active, and he couldn't lose to Zod while it was. The General and Faora were meanwhile melting or destroying everything in sight, almost maniacally. The government sent in Jets, and Faora jumped onto them and ripped the pilots out of their seats, wringing their necks. Clark could only watch in silent agony.

_COME ON….HAL!_

* * *

**INDIAN OCEAN**-

Hal touched the communicator on his ear. "Are you sure this will work, Batman?"

"Isolate the gravity field and disable the reactor. Once you have done that, Return to Metropolis, Zod and another Kryptonian are on a rampage."

Hal grumbled as he neared the gigantic machine. Focusing, he built a force field which enveloped the surroundings, to prevent tsunamis when it was destroyed. This focused the gravity field into on particular area. Once he was inside the field, Batman guided him through the process. Hal battled with the defence system, a cloud of Nanites that were easily dispatched of.

"Now, Lantern! Remove the core reactor!" Batman barked in his ear. Hal sneered as he ripped apart the ship, the explosion contained within the force field.

* * *

**THEMISCYRA-**

Diana woke with a start, panting. She had had a nightmare. There was an explosion…people screaming and dying on the streets…Panic everywhere. Diana had been in her outfit, trying to help people, but they were scared of her. There was fire raining down from the skies, two gigantic machines spewing energy in tandem across the Earth, an epic clash between a man in red and blue and a man in silver armour. She didn't know what to think of it. _Was that a vision, or a premonition?_ She thought nothing of it and lied back down, trying to sleep, her thoughts laced with bittersweet memories of kissing Hal…

* * *

**METROPOLIS-**

Clark felt the tandem collapse, and he silently thanked Hal and Bruce. _I should've known Bruce knew something. _And of course he had. Batman had been the one to contact Hal when he was fighting meta's in Central City. Of course he knew that Clark would need help. _Oh you insufferable egotist. You work alone yourself but you know when other people need help. Bruce Wayne, you bastard. _Clark was grinning as he swooshed out of his hiding place, and moving as fast as he could, took Faora and Zod head on, gripping them by their necks and rushing out of the city, yelling with power.

Smashing their heads on a road marker which said- **METROPOLIS- 15 MILES, **he tossed them aside and stood tall, cape flying behind him in the wind, looking like a true Superman.

* * *

**A/N- Oh this gonna be some epic battle next chapterrrr :D**


	26. Chapter 25- The Metropolis Incident- (3)

**A/N- Okay, really realllly realllllly sorry. My Internet access was banned because I failed Chemistry. Yes, that happened. I nearly died. Anyway, when I got the chance, I typed this.**

* * *

**Chapter 25- The Metropolis Incident (Part 3)**

Clark held Zod by the neck, bashing his head into the ground. The general struggled to break out of the grasp, but failed. Faora was unconscious a few feet away, unable to even move. She groaned and blinked, opening her eyes. Clark, seeing the sudden movement, dropped Zod and rushed over to her, kicking her face. She flew a hundred yards or so, and landed with a resounding bang that indicated that she would be rendered incapable of fighting. Turning towards Zod, smiling with overconfidence, Clark sneered and punched the ground, tearing open a rift that caused the general to stumble.

Bolting forward, he gave a low cross uppercut towards the ribs of the general which knocked him into the air. Scooping his feet and slamming into the ground the other side, Clark could hear the Kryptonians ribs shatter. Roaring in pain, Zod grabbed his adversary's foot and threw him into the air, jumping up after him and knocking him into the ground.

Landing on his chest, Zod picked him up by the cape. "You DARE use a symbol of our Planet?!" He held firmly on to the fabric and threw him towards Metropolis, jumping after him and punching him forward with each jump. Dazed with pain and haze, Clark only minutely felt the blows, almost sinking into unconsciousness.

Unable to resist, he felt himself being punched into a building. As he felt the concrete break behind his back, he saw the face of a little girl, crying in the midst of the rubble. As he saw the stones above her head cracking, he reached out towards her, only to see Zod's fist punch him through the wall. He screamed out, but the girl managed to duck out of the way. There was a cloud of ash and the building collapsed. As Clark dodged the next punch, he managed to glimpse a logo on the building as it crumbled. _WayneTech_. _Bruce is going to be annoyed…_

He gritted his teeth, punching Zod up in the air. The general crashed into glass windows and vanished from sight. Turning his attention to the WayneTech skyscraper, he saw the little girl, who was looking upwards towards the steel foundation of the adjacent building about to collapse. The metal groaned, and people inside the building screamed out for help. Clark stamped his feet into the ground, sinking an inch and grabbing the beams for support. Pushing, he yelled as the support held firm. The building, almost halfway fallen, stopped. His muscles pushing with agony, he felt his arms burn with force. He heaved upwards with a mighty yell and saw the girl stare, wide eyed, as he pushed the foundation back into place. Hearing sirens, he finally set the beams back upright, and tore open the doors, guiding people to rush out. The panicked mass ran out in a herd, and as the police and fire department arrived, they couldn't spot Clark in the chaos. He jumped a hundred feet straight up onto the roof of the shattered WayneTech building and glanced around.

Seeing what he was looking for, he saw Zod flying towards him, eyes glowing with rage. The Kryptonian armor the general had been wearing was stripped away, to reveal a lithe battlesuit, with a crescent militia logo on it. Clark pushed off parallel to the ground, rushing midair and punched Zod square between the eyes. The blow reverberated off the surroundings, creating a shockwave which crumbled the asphalt where he landed. Landing harshly on their backs, both Zod and Clark struggled to get up, as the crowd clamored around them, demanding them to leave.

Clark got up quicker, desperate to protect the civilians from getting hurt. He grabbed Zod and pushed off from the ground as hard as he could. Gliding through the air, he jumped again and again, punching Zod into the ground each jump. _I have to get out of Metropolis…_

He was finally punched in his gut, and felt blood in his mouth as Zod regained the advantage. Clark fell through several houses, damaging them but not injuring the people inside, who were panicking at this masked stranger who was wearing the silly outfit with red underwear and a cape. Clark looked at them only for a second, to see them vaporized by a torrent of red magmatic heat. Unbridled anger coursed through his veins as he looked at the insane Kryptonian in front of him. _No Inhibitions. No restraint. Not anymore. _

Rushing forwards with a yell, he dodged the punches and blocked Zod's blows. Blasting him in the face with heat vision, he blinded him, and used this distraction to viciously break his arms, kicking his chest as he did so. As he was about to land the final blow, he stopped himself. _This isn't what I am…_

Clenched fists, he picked up Zod's body and sped over to Faora's and put them both together. As Zod lay, blood trickling down his face and Faora with a broken spine, Clark released a breath he had not realized he had been holding.

Faora looked up at him, nothing but contempt in her eyes. "You could have been something more, _**Kal-El. **_"

He looked at the symbol on his chest and then at her. "I am not, and never will be. But It is what I strive to be that matters more than what I can be…"

And with that, he picked the two of them up, and ran towards the Tandem, where the ship was kept. Lifting it up, he tossed it at the Mothership. The two vessels collided with an explosion of light, and a singularity was created. Clark, grim faced, jumped towards it, Faora and Zod in his hands. Their eyes widened as they slowly realized what he was about to do. Clark, holding on to the spire of a tall skyscraper, held them towards the black hole and held their gazes for a last fleeting second before releasing them. The two Kryptonians flew into the Singularity, gazing back at Clark as they fell, with hatred in their eyes.

He shut his eyes and allowed himself to fall to the ground, slowly, feeling the air at his back. The black hole shut with a satisfying click of wind. Clark pulled himself forward as he fell, gliding down with his cape, _Quite like Batman…_ he thought, smiling to himself.

There was no one around to stop him or even see him as he rocketed out of Metropolis, the aftermath of the battle being too much confusion and destruction for anyone noticing Clark leaving. Stopping at the outskirts, he removed his armor, leaving it underneath the milestone marker where he had smashed Zod's head. He kept the cape on, molded to his white T-shirt and jeans, and the visor. A Blank expression on his face as he ran towards Gotham, he almost missed the Lantern who had landed in front of him. He tripped and bounced over the rocks a couple of times before dragging himself up, the sheer momentum causing such a clumsy embarrassment.

He turned to face Hal, expression stoic.

"Who are you?" was the first question he was asked. _Clark Kent. Your girlfriend's nuisance… _he thought, but didn't voice it out loud. The Lantern pushed him fiercely backwards.

"Answer me. The President of our country wants to know."

Again not replying, he shook his head and streaked away, leaving a dumbstruck Hal, who picked up a memento spinning on the ground, the visor the boy was wearing. He examined it and scanned it with the ring. "_Visor is of Kryptonian origin."_

Hal grimaced. _So a few Kryptonians survived…only to create trouble. Well it's my job as a Lantern to monitor and police my space sector, and these Kryptonians are creating a problem. _Muttering to himself, he flew into space and pointed his ring to the planet. "Ring, run scan for Kryptonian physiology on Earth."

"_**Scan complete. Kryptonian physiology and life signatures not detected."**_

Sighing, Hal flew back to Central City. _Maybe the boy wasn't a Kryptonian…but that could mean he might be something even more dangerous. I should tell Batman._

Meanwhile, Clark had reached the current batcave in Gotham. He blurred around the lab, collecting the supplies he needed. Removing the cape, he moved as quickly as he could, he had to do this before Bruce returned from wherever he was. Quickly collecting the Kryptonite inhibitors, he crushed the powder into dust, and used his heat vision to quickly melt them, but he felt the sap on his strength. These would inhibit his powers…let him go back to normal. Bruce had told him about Kryptonite after he had gone back to the Canadian wilds, and Clark had spent months developing a solution to his problem. The world had two heroes now, a Knight and a Lantern, they didn't need an abomination.

Not hesitating even an instant, he injected the Kryptonite needle with the melted Kryptonite and DNA inhibitors- (Microbots that Bruce had developed to augment DNA) into his arm. The kryptonite burned and cooled at the same time, like acid and ice flowing through his bloodstream. He could feel the strength ebb and slip away, and so did his other side. Kal-El was gone…that Superman that had stopped Zod was gone…and Clark Kent remained. At peace once more, he barely heard Bruce enter and stop by his limp body on the ground.

"Kent, what did you do…?"

* * *

**A/N- Only now to see what happens next. Does Superman ever return? _Will _Superman ever return? Clark iz a big boy and he don't want no powaas. I mean honestly. Can you imagine what it would be like? Never being able to touch anyone or getting close to anyone for fear of killing them.**

**"_I feel like I live in a world made of cardboard…" _**

**Maybe Supes wants to be normal for a while…until… *coughs*_incidentbeta*_coughs***

**So Clark Kent it is…**

**No one knows anyones identities except Bruce and Clark, lol.**

**Hopeful for consistent future updates , please REVIEW! **

**I LOVE FEEDBACK, and I will integrate your ideas into the story. Btw, to the person who said Clark and Faora was a "forced romance", I smiled at that one. Ah I love humans. Always seeing things in places where nothing is there…**


	27. Chapter 26- WW

**A/N-Nice Long Chapter here...and shippers, rejoice. Hints of BM/WW begin to surface...**

**Maybe next one tomorrow...maybe today, I'm feeling on fire...**

* * *

**CHAPTER 26-WONDER WOMAN**

**EARTH- THEMISCYRA**

Diana closed her eyes, letting the rays of sun dance on her skin. She had become powerful. 7 months of vigorous training had made their mark. She was now the strongest warrior on the Island. She had all but forgotten her past life. She was Princess Diana, not Diana Prince. Faint memories of kisses under the stars haunted her, but she had given up on her friends. She had no one anymore. She couldn't possibly be close to anyone. You would need a god or a…a Super Man to be able to truly interact with Diana without damaging themselves. She plucked a strawberry from the fields and bit into it, letting the sweetness of the fruit distract her from her loneliness.

She noticed her mother coming down the hill to her. She nodded as Hippolyta approached. The queen of Themiscyra put a hand on her daughters shoulder. "Diana, its time. To become something more. Time to go back. Give Man's world an incentive to strive for something better. Teach them truth, and give them Justice."

Diana nodded, a lump in her throat. She had been waiting for this day and had started to think it wasn't going to come. Today was the day she could go back. To see them…her friends….it felt like a past life….a lie, a memory of what could have been, but would never be. They would never have their group again…In a way, Diana was relieved, that meant no Clark or Bruce, but that meant giving up Hal, something she would just have to live with. He would understand. Diana looked at her mother, and spoke cautiously.

"Is the embassy notified of my departure? Have they told the government?"

Over the last few months, her mother had made first contact, and Themiscyra had formed an alliance with the UN. It was now a registered country. The world had been wary at first, but the beautiful amazons had won the hearts of many.

"Yes, the governments are aware. We informed them that our greatest warrior, and our symbol of truth would be coming to Man's world to help them, to teach them, to guide them."

Diana grimaced. She wasn't sure she could cope with that much responsibility. But if that was her fate, she would sure as hell try. Her mother embraced her, slowly whispering words of reassurance. Diana drew out of the embrace and nodded, turning and gliding towards the palace. She said her farewells to Bianca and her other sisters, who allowed rare teary eyed moments. Bianca hugged her tightly. To her ears only, she whispered "_I will miss you, sister of mine." _Breaking the hug, she spoke with a louder voice.

"Farewell, Princess, and may your foes always cower before truth…"

Diana smiled at the teary eyed Bianca. "I shall return…"

Bianca nodded grimly "Be careful of the men"

_It's not them I'm worried about, it's me. I haven't seen a guy in 7 months…_ Diana shook her hand and exited the chamber, gliding to the magical barriers. Trying desperately to avoid a grand farewell, she departed early, not notifying her mother. After all, she had nothing to take with her except her sword and lasso. She flew over the ocean on the borders of the island, taking one last one look, and admiring the beauty of the island for the last time…well, for a year at least. She did intend to come back.

She broke through the magical barriers with a rush of wind, reaching her max speed in less than a second. At that speed, the ocean flew beneath her. She just flew west, towards land. After an hour of flight, she reached the coast of a large city on the edges of the land. Using her sharp eyesight, she saw a billboard.

**WELCOME TO COAST CITY! **

She flew past it. She had to get to the capital, a half hours flight away. She glided over the land easily, reaching D.C in expected time.

She flew directly to the White House, avoiding the security and concerns, landing in front of the door. There was a blond haired, muscular, and handsome man, who looked about 18, dressed in military uniform. The badge on his chest read "_Col. Steve Trevor" _Diana was surprised. This man didn't look even 20, how was he a colonel? Ignoring that fact, she looked at the man's face and had to admit he was handsome, he had that chiseled jawline and intelligent eyes, which reminded Diana of Bruce for some reason. She stifled her irritation and tried to be open minded. _Just because he looks a little like Bruce doesn't mean he's like him._ Said the clear part of her mind. The distracted other side involuntarily thought "_Bruce is more handsome though."_

Diana pushed that thought for later consideration. _Where the HELL did that come from?!_

She looked at the man, who gave her a once over, inspecting her outfit and looks.

"You must be Diana. My name is-"

"Steve Trevor" she interjected. "And you re here to hold my hand through the formalities and teach me the ways of Men. I may look like a child but I assure you I would not go on my appearance and looks. I'm smarter than I seem. I apologize if that sounded rude but you see, I was raised here for 14 years. I know how it works. And by the way…the question you are about to ask, no, I do not."

Steve started to ask "Do you do that all the-"but then looked down, realizing she had already answered his question. Diana beamed. _Ah guys…so predictable. _

Steve had the good grace to look embarrassed. "Come in, Diana"

He opened the doors to the building and strode towards the oval office. Diana should have been slightly nervous but she wasn't, for some reason…she was beaming. _It fees so great to be back…_

She shook hands with the President, who spoke to her condescendingly about the importance of her being here, her duties and responsibilities. Diana was almost certain she would go in a rage and shout _I am a warrior! I'm not meant for boring desk work or listening to long lectures like this! I can help people! _But she held her tongue.

After the president finished speaking, she smiled and asked "What is my first move as Themiscyrian Ambassador?"

"Due to your powers, I would recommend looking into the metahumans on rampage in Central City. The public will support you as a hero. They will trust you then, and the alliance can be solidified. Princess, you should know you aren't the only one. Since the Storm incident, several other metahumans have joined our side. There is a Green Lantern, who is from a sort of space police corps, who monitor and protect the entire galaxy. He saved the world from the threat called Parallax, and we are grateful to him. We allowed him secrecy on his identity. Would you like that as well?"

_Green Lantern huh…sounds stupid._

"Uh…yes, that would be nice"

The president opened a secret panel in the wall and removed a metallic chrome box the size of his palm. "Nanite technology. We recovered some from the Metropolis incident 5 months ago."

"The Metropolis incident?"

"There was an alien invasion, of sorts. A race of superpowered aliens came to our planet looking for a boy. They said he was one of theirs. He even looked human. I saw him, and that was an understatement, he looked perfectly ordinary, except for his costume. He turned himself in, but the General, Zod betrayed his condition that we give him the boy to protect the planet. He sent two terraforming machines to change the earth into their planet, Krypton. But he was stopped, we do not know how. There are rumors of a singularity that sucked up the entire world engine. There might have been a glitch in the technology or the engine might have misfired. Zod vanished after that, after trashing half of Metropolis. We found him 3 weeks later, his body in the fields outside Metropolis, cause of death unclear. We have suspicions that the alien boy escaped and is among us once more. He could be a massive threat, and that is another objective for you, but for now, he has not revealed himself or done anything compromising. I would watch out for him though. I saw his face when he turned himself in. he had a visor on, quite like the Lanterns, but his eyes were visible, and they were the bluest blue you could have ever seen. But they were emotionless, powerful…cold. He is a danger. But we cannot take him on without reinforcements. I'm building a team. You will lead them, along with Green Lantern. We need your help to protect the earth from threats such as this."

Diana patiently listened to this monologue and nodded. She would lead this team. This alien boy seemed dangerous. Other threats were also there. She grit her teeth, determined to bring justice.

"What about the Nanite tech?"

"We recovered it from the aftermath of the battle, with what was left of the terraforming machine. It is the visor the boy wore. It looks like the one the Lantern wears, but it is sleeker, and molds to your face. The Nanites will extend till your jawline, giving you a masquerade, and quite a good one. Lanterns mask looks clunky, but this one is beautiful."

He gave the box to Diana, who lifted out the mask, and put it on her eyes, noticing the immediate clasp to her face, quite like her bracelets. This was far more comfortable though. She glanced at herself in the mirror, and saw her full figure. She looked…intimidating, frankly. The mask gave her a sense of quiet reassurance that she was doing this for good, not for fame.

She turned to Steve, who looked like he couldn't breathe. _Love at first sight? _Diana mentally giggled. The handsome hunk smiled at her and bit his lip. "Have you thought of a name yet?"

Diana smirked. She had been working on this one a while.

"_**Wonder Woman"**_

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**_A/N- Yowza i loved this one. Bruce is in Dianas head... :)_**


	28. Chapter 27- GL

**A/N- Sorry again for not updating sooner, exams/forbidden from using net So here is what happens to Hal after Metropolis, and how he meets Wonder Woman/ Diana when she comes from Themiscyra. This was a fun chapter to write, especially because they don't know each other's identities yet, so Hal's first impression of Wonder Woman makes him feel a bit uneasy XD**

**Btw, do we have to do the disclaimer thingy for every chapter? Because I have seen a lot of fanfiction author's who do a disclaimer every chapter, and I keep thinking this is going to get taken down because I haven't done that. So I really hope that it's understandable that when I disclaimed this story in the first chapter it applies for all following chapters. So yeah,**

**DISCLAIMER- I Do not own any of these characters, they belong to DC comics. I only own the plot. This disclaimer is for all following and previous chapters as well.**

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**Chapter- 27 – GREEN LANTERN**

**Remote Village- China**

Batman looked at the readings on the monitor in front of him, a worried frown on his face. Clark Kent was unconscious in the makeshift bed again, near death. All because of some alien from an extinct planet wanted to superintend the revival of his race. _Zod…_

Bruce contemplated what might have happened to him. _Is it possible that he could come back to earth? Where could he be now? Sucked into a singularity…? Or did he escape? ..._

* * *

**Metropolis Mile Marker-15**

A Rift appeared in the sky, and a man was tossed out of it, with careless disregard.

There was a creature that flew out, moments later. The hideous beast, with wings and a metallic casing, kicked the dying figure, who turned over and looked at the sky with his last breath. He closed his eyes, and the creature shrieked, an unearthly sound that would've driven most men mad. As the beast looked at the lifeless body, it planted a box in the soil, and with a roar, it yelled into the night. "_FOR DARKSEID…" _

The box exploded, and the ragged body was tossed aside, an example of what would happen to those who challenged Apokolips. _What is the value of a single life? How can you measure its power? Even the smallest of beings touches others... And yet, for all the good or evil that it accomplishes, it withers at the end with an imperceptible whisper. As if it never existed at all…_

Zod had been transported to the empty void, and survived only through sheer will for revenge. Yet, as fate would have it, he flew into the orbit of a blue star, which amplified his power to an extent that he was able to fly to other systems. But reaching Apokolips was a bad decision, and cost Zod his life. But before dying, he had told the ruler of the planet about Earth…The Codex that was there in the Earthlings genes. Darkseid was interested in this chance to create an army of Kryptonian Parademons, stronger than any before them. He disposed of the general's body by starting the arrangements for the incursion of Earth. The planet had copious amounts of organic material, as well as a Kryptonian Earthling hybrid with genes in his blood capable of creating a new breed of slaves for the Might of Apokolips. He would be patient, however, he did not have enough resources at the current time to devote entirely to Earth, as he was in the middle of a war with the Lantern Corps, whom he was convinced had knowledge of the Anti-Life equation, which would allow him to receive the power to conquer the universe, and Universes beyond…

* * *

**Central City-**

Hal had been unable to contact Batman, or even _find _him. He scoured the entire Gotham for days and days, but hadn't found a trace of the caped crusader. Crime was abundant in Gotham, and he had helped out a bit, but he had to keep his foster parents in the dark about his powers, so they were still sending him to school. Obviously he wasn't going much, but on the days he decided he had to go, he was unnerved by the absence of his friends. He had asked Clark Kent's parents where he might've gone, but they seemed to think he could handle himself. Bruce had left the school, apparently he had gotten transferred, but Hal couldn't find out where. Vic was also missing but Hal knew where he was, in Cuba, skipping most of 10th grade.

Barry was comatose and nearly dying. Hal visited him sometimes, after a particularly long day of keeping the peace. He would sit by his friend's bed, silently reading a book, or just sitting and staring at the heart monitor, just wanting to be there next to someone. He knew he would never tell Barry about this once he had woken up. _If he wakes up._ He thought darkly.

The worst part about his situation? No, not the crazy Meta powered criminals of Central City, it was the fact that Diana had gone missing as well. With not even a trace. Just like Clark. The others were traceable, to some extent, but these two had just vanished completely. Diana's house was also vacated, gone. He hadn't even got the chance to say goodbye to her…

And now Batman had vanished as well. The only person whom he could talk to about his powers had vanished. Frustrated and tired with the direction his life was going, he would often fly into space and destroy an asteroid or two to vent.

On this particular day, however, he had a job to do, of some interest. The president had asked him to come to the white house to meet the Princess of Themiscyra. The magical island had made contact with the governments of Earth and had revealed its inhabitants, the Amazons, to the world. They were a warrior race with each one being as strong as ten men. They had been training since time immemorial to be able to bring order to humanity, and had chosen this time as being the most well suited for doing that, as the order was failing. They did not seek to depose, only to lessen man's evil tendencies by enforcing their presence.

Their princess was going to make contact with the president today. The amazon ambassadors that Hal had met so far had praised her skills to be the best they had ever seen. He knew what the president would ask of her, and he wished to see her response himself, as well as influence her decision. He had heard she was brought up in "Man's World" and was well aware of their cultures. So hopefully asking her to join the team wouldn't be too difficult. _Having a hot amazon who knows about my powers wouldn't be too bad either. _The public wasn't yet aware of Green Lantern. Hal was reserving that moment for making a grand entrance.

He glided towards the white house, touching down slowly, not wanting to startle anyone. He walked into the oval office, nodding at the security guards. They let him inside, as he heard a voice saying _**"Wonder Woman"**_

The voice sounded eerily familiar to his ears, but he couldn't quite place it. He was greeted by the President and Steve, who both gave him hearty handshakes. "Ah, Lantern! Nice to see you could make it!" Steve exclaimed. Hal nodded and turned around to look at the Princess.

She was wearing a tight body suit which was red and blue, with silver linings. She had distractingly bare and long legs. There were two bracelets on her hands, which were shining with some magical light. As his eyes trailed upwards, he saw her strong arms, with lean muscles and strong shoulders exuding confidence. Putting it simply, he was dazed. When he finally looked at her face, he was unable to make eye contact with her, feeling like it would somehow be betraying Diana to look at something so beautiful. The visor that masked her facial structure made her look like that amazingly beautiful supermodel who you would never be able to recognize again, with her face being the type that was as if he wouldn't be able to remember it in his mind. Only that it was very beautiful and looked very, very familiar. He attributed that to the fact that she looked like the other amazons he had met, only much more…_wonderful._

He was about to say something, but then thought that stammering would be a bad idea. Allowing a mask of indifference to settle over his features, he simply nodded and turned back to the president, not allowing himself to linger over her, otherwise that guilty feeling of being unfaithful to Diana would settle over him again. _Diana looks better than her…Diana looks better than her. _He told himself that, but he knew it wasn't true. If Diana had an older, ripped, amazon sister, that would be the princess.

"Lantern, meet the Princess of Themiscyra, or to call her by the name she chose for herself, Wonder Woman."

He allowed himself a quick glimpse and another nod before turning back. The Princess also looked momentarily confused, as if she was trying to remember something, then shrugged it off. She stepped forward by Hal and shook hands with the president. "I'd be honoured to join your team, Mr. President. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to help people, and I hope I will be working closely with you and Green Lantern here to make Man's World better." She winked at Steve and smiled at Hal, flying out of the window.

Hal gaped. "What? ...Where is she going?!"

"Central City, I presume" Steve grinned. "Little spitfire ain't she?"

Hal grimaced and flew out the window, following the self-proclaimed _**Wonder Woman. **_

Oh, he was going to have to get used to this…

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**A/N- Please Review! I appreciate feedback! :)**


	29. Chapter 28- WW

**A/N- Update! Yayyy! In which Wonder Woman calls Superman emo, and flirts a bit with a skittish Lantern, as well as catching up with her friends about the events that have happened since her going to Themiscyra.**

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**Chapter 28- WONDER WOMAN**

**Central City Police Department**

As Diana entered the building, she felt dozens of eyes on her, forming their opinions of her based solely on her looks. She didn't have to even look at them to feel them judging her. Disregarding their stares, she strode confidently towards the Chief of Police's office. Detective Joe West, Barry's godfather, had become the new chief of the CCPD. She hoped her visor was enough to masquerade her appearance, she didn't need anyone recognizing her. As the officer at the door hesitantly told her to wait, she sat down, taking time to gauge Green Lanterns outlook.

The colourful spaceman was sitting opposite from her, sitting in a constrained position, as if he was trying desperately not to look at her. Diana found this odd, usually guys wouldn't be able to stop. Deciding to be brash, she touched his shoulder, and he jumped. A cross expression on her face, she said, "What is it about me that unnerves you, Lantern?"

"Nothing" Came the reply, but it sounded forced.

"Hmph" she snorted and leaned back in her place. The door opened and she walked into the office. "You must be a friend of Lantern's…Please, sit down" Joe West said, calmly. GL stood beside the door, looking at the ground.

"I am Wonder Woman. I come from Themiscyra."

"Ah, yes, the Island of the Amazons"

"Indeed. Green Lantern here tells me that you seem to be having a meta-human problem in this city?"

The creases on the Chief's face deepened as he grimaced. "We are having difficulty keeping them in check, but thanks to _him _we seem to be doing better than we were in the last few months. But our meta problems are mild compared to the crime rate in Gotham lately. The city's masked guardian seems to have disappeared."

At this Diana heard knuckles cracking behind her as Lantern clenched his fists. "Yes, Batman seems to be MIA. But I wouldn't go near Gotham even in my wildest dreams."

_Hmmm…what is it about Batman that unsettles him so? But considering his response to me, maybe he just has trust issues._

She turned to the chief. "Well, I'm here to help, be it in Gotham or Central City or Metropolis."

Joe grinned, and shook her hand. "We'll contact you if we need your help." He handed her a comm link. "Here"

She nodded and took the device in her hand. Then, standing up quickly, she soared out of the window, leaving Green Lantern dumbstruck for the second time that day. Giggling childishly as she flew towards her city, she decided to re-introduce herself to her friends, she could do with a break from responsibilities, after all, she was a teenage girl, and a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

Making sure the Lantern hadn't followed her, she opened her front door, and got to work, cleaning up the place.

* * *

Half an hour later, all the cobwebs and dust were gone, leaving one soot covered Amazon, and one dirty broom. Thoroughly satisfied, she bathed, changing into a light yellow t-shirt and some baggy jeans which had been kept in her old closet. Feeling dainty after the hot water soak, she took a good long look at the place she would call home. Leaving her armour and visor on the sofa, she cracked her neck.

_Ok then, let's go to school. Or rather, meet everyone coming from it._

She wore her red sneakers, which clashed with her clothes, but she didn't care. She flew the first few blocks, then walked, waving to a few people who saw her walking. She recognized a few of them, spotting Oliver Queen and his canary like blond haired girlfriend, and a few others laughing and walking home. As she stopped by the gate, she bumped into Lois Lane, Iris West, and Karen. They were talking…gossiping something, most probably about some guy, when Diana tapped Lois on the shoulder. She turned and gasped, shock clearly written on her face. The dumbstruck others also gaped.

_Well well well, it seems like I've stunned quite a few people today…_

"D..Diana?" Iris stammered. "Is it really you?"

Lois slammed into her with a hug, and held her tight enough for Diana to feel, which would've been difficult for the petite brunette. "Where…Where have you been?"

"Lois, Iris, relax. It's me. I'm back."

"From _where?!" _

"I'll tell you someday, I promise. Let's just leave it at that"

The two looked disappointed but still happy to see their friend again. Diana saw Karen contemplating her with intelligent blue eyes. "You wouldn't happen to know where Clark Kent is, would you?"

"Why would I….?" Then a thought occurred to her. "He's missing?"

Karen nodded slowly, a tight lipped grimace marring her features. "I haven't seen him since I told him to never talk to me again."

Diana felt like laughing. _This idiot blames herself for his disappearance…I may not know much about Kent, but I do know he does not care for useless infatuations and pesky feelings. He ostracizes himself from us normal people. Emotions are overrated, he used to say…_

She realized that she missed him, and felt a strange kind of sadness she didn't quite understand. If she missed Clark so much, it was difficult to even think of Hal. Or Barry, Vic, _Bruce._ She clenched her teeth with anticipation. _I'm going to find that sorry miserable emo moron and ask him where the hell he's been. _

"He'll be fine, Karen, don't you worry, he'll turn up again like a bad penny." Karen gave her a strange look, but then smiled. Lois and Iris glanced at each other slowly, and then Iris spoke.

"Diana, Barry is in a coma. Vic hasn't come back from his holiday yet, and I get the feeling he's not going to. Bruce got transferred…Look at what happened, Diana….Look…."

The younger girl looked like she was about to cry. Diana was stunned. _Barry…In a COMA?! _She knew Iris had a crush on Barry for a long time, and that would've broken her little heart. Victor, she planned on finding along with Kent. Bruce could go and die for all she cared.

A sudden cold hand wrapped itself around her heart as she realized that they hadn't said anything of Hal yet. "Lois…what about Hal?"

"He…He barely comes to school, but when he does, he almost sleeps through the classes. I've asked his parents what's wrong with him, but they seem to think he is fine. In fact, they don't even know he's bunking school! I think he's gotten into bad habits, Diana. We've tried talking to him but he doesn't respond. Whenever we mention you, he just pretends we didn't say anything. I really think you should talk to him…"

_I didn't think my leaving would affect him so bad…I have to fix all this. Our entire circle of friends, the only people some of us have, is broken. _Kent, Hal, Barry, all had foster parents, they only had this group that they could talk to, they had a bond. And Diana had a suspicion that Alfred wasn't Bruce's father either, and that transfer was hiding something a little more malicious than she was led to believe. She reconsidered her earlier thought of letting Bruce go, she would find him, and say it to his face. Laughing in mental happiness, she turned to her friends.

"Let's walk home, I'll fix this, I promise."

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**A/N- Thank you for the feedback and Reviews! Please give me More! Pleaaase, I love it! I made this chapter a little more lighter and casual than my others, let me know if you liked it!**

**Next up- Batman, currently MIA, has been tending to a dying Clark Kent. Where? Oh, the usual, a remote village in China...**

**READ! REVIEW! AND FOLLOW/FAVOURITE!**


	30. Chapter 29- Batman

**A/N- Sorry for the irregular updates, but I will finish this. I'm determined to. So as a reward for your Patience,**

**BATMAN MEETS WONDER WOMAN, DIANA SEES HAL AND BRUCE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 8 MONTHS (Apparently ;)) AND THE BM/WW BEGINS! What is this!? Is this real life?! Is the idiot author of the story finally going to deliver on the BM/WW he had said would be there in this asinine-ly long story?! Well... Yes. I hope you like it...**

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**Chapter 29- BATMAN**

Bruce set the cup of water by the bed. Speaking softly, he motioned the doctor to exit the hut. He had brought Clark to China, a hundred miles near the place he had been trained. It had been so long since Kent had injected Kryptonite in his blood. After severe spasms and fits, his body had adapted, and it seemed as though it had worked. Clark Kent was powerless, but sick. Today he had woken up for the first time in months, and Bruce had to leave. Kent could now take care of himself. The Batman had a city to take care of.

_Gotham._

He had seen the reports on the news. He had seen what was happening to his city. He had seen the arrival of another metahuman helping Hal in Central City as well. Wonder Woman. She didn't seem to be a threat, but he had to be sure her intentions were just. Lantern he had let go because he knew Hal was morally just, and did want to make a difference. But Wonder Woman...

The footage he had seen showed her readiness to charge into danger, her brutal fighting style, and her headstrong brashness that would ultimately lead to her defeat against an opponent stronger than her, but she hadn't encountered anyone as such. Bruce would have to be prepared for anything. But he was most grateful for Clark's decision to revert to human. _He did the right thing. We shouldn't need powers to fight crime, it will only turn people against us. If they found out Clark was responsible for the Metropolis Incident, it wouldn't matter that he was the one who had saved them, they would turn on him like wild dogs. _

Bruce quickly jotted down a note- **Gotham. You know where to find me.**

He walked out without hesitating, hearing Kent sit up on the bed behind him.

* * *

**GOTHAM- ONE WEEK LATER**

"Where the HELL have you been?!"

"Lantern."

Bruce turned around on the stone gargoyle he had been looking out over. The Green Man floated down and glared accusingly at Batman.

"Do you see the condition of Gotham City? I stayed away from it, but if you hadn't come back within a week I would've done something about it." The threat was veiled, but Bruce could sense that Hal would have interfered.

"What are you doing here now?"

"I needed, _WE needed _your advice."

"We...?"

Lantern nodded, and a streak whizzed past the building, flipping and circling back. Gracefully landing on her toes, Wonder Woman strode towards Batman, hand extended for a handshake. "You must be Batman, Lantern here has told me about you. He says you can help us?"

Bruce took a moment to come to his senses. It wasn't difficult for him to recognize that voice, or the way she walked, or her perfect figure...

Diana Prince...Princess Diana of Themiscyra. Wonder Woman. Bruce's mind was still struggling to wrap his head around that fact, when Lantern waved in front of him.

"Hello? Earth to Batman?"

Batman nodded, stiffening his posture even more to betray no clue that might give away his identity. It was near impossible either of them could piece anything together, but he wasn't willing to take a risk. "Who is the meta?" He used the vocal modulator for a darker undertone.

Wonder Woman stepped back, clearly upset that he didn't shake her hand, and gestured for Lantern to speak. "Lantern, are we allowed to disclose such vital information to a non-asset? He is not even a metahuman, what use can he be to our strike force? The metahuman is not of strategic value to him, he only cares about Gotham."

Green Lantern said nothing to that, and spoke directly to Batman. "He's a metahuman who can disguise himself, a shapeshifter. We can defeat him, but we cant seem to find him."

_Interesting...They don't seem to know each other's identities yet. I wonder if their relationship will become strained when they find out. _He marvelled at his juvenile thoughts. _Duty first. _"Do you know his identity?"

"Hannibal Bates." Wonder Woman growled.

Batman coldly replied. "Draw him out. Use his pressure points. What are his motives? Robbery? Give him an opportunity, and catch him in the act"

Lantern looked over at Wonder Woman defiantly. "See. Now we can get him."

Diana glared at Batman and scowled, flying away in a huff. Lantern shook his head. "Thanks for the help. You're still a dick." he smiled and flew after her.

* * *

**ONE WEEK LATER**

Bruce gritted his teeth, angry at himself for doing something this stupid. Diana was a powerful meta, and if left unchecked, could hurt someone by accident. He had to make sure that didn't happen. Or at least that's the reason he gave himself for coming to his old school. Within a week of the Batman's return to Gotham, crime rates had gone to almost zero. The past 3 days had zero incidents. So he decided to do research. On Green Lantern. And Wonder Woman. The Governments meta human task force. He was also curious to see how they were masking their identities.

He walked into the Principals office, for re-admission. With some display's of his exploits in the technology industry, and a donation to the school, he managed to convince the Principal that he had returned to complete his education so he could better run his company, and asked the man to keep things hushed about his massive fortune. Always willing to co-operate, given the money involved, Principal Wells was only too happy to let Bruce back in.

He casually strolled towards his class, people staring at him everywhere. Lois Lane And Iris West looked as if they would have a nervous breakdown. He walked into homeroom, and sat on his desk, yawning with apparent boredom. He glanced around the room, to see Clark Kent sitting in the corner, fiddling with his pen, doodling. He looked up and made eye contact with Bruce. A sceptical look, a raised eyebrow, and a brief cocky smile were the only indications that Kent had noticed him. He went back to doodling.

Hal walked in the class and jumped about a foot. "Well Well Well, Bruce Wayne..." Slipping on the playboy douchebag persona, he smiled arrogantly at Hal.

"Jordan. Have you gotten skinnier?"

Hal rolled his eyes, but managed to shake Bruce's hand. "Where the hell have you been?"

Carefully calculating the right answer so as to raise the least suspicion, he said "I went to Gotham to start up a company, and find some great chicks. Why, did you miss me?" he stuck his tongue out. Hal snorted, and sat in his place. "Well welcome back, asshat."

Bruce looked around the class and winked at Selina Kyle, who was staring at him. She blushed crimson red and looked back down at her book.

Then, Bruce's heart stopped momentarily. Diana Prince, strolling through the door with her bag hanging casually on one shoulder. She kept her bag down and then spun around all of a sudden. "Hal?! Bruce?!" She was shocked, clearly. Bruce knew why Hal hadn't been going to school, but Diana didn't. And apparently they hadn't seen each other for 8 months...If only they knew only a week ago the three of them had been on a rooftop together, in a highly contrasting manner. Bruce tried his hardest not to smirk as he looked back at Clark Kent, who's eyes were dancing with mirth. _So Kent knows as well..._

He turned his attention back to Diana, who was clenching her fists, a pen in her hand that had crumbled into pieces. He was more allured than intimidated. _Damn hormones..._

* * *

**_A/N- SO next chapter more interaction b/w Diana, Bruce and Hal with a future investigative journalist listening in._**

**_Clark Kent POV._**

**_I hope you liked the chapter :)_**

**_PLease PLEASE PLEASE PlEaSe pLeAsE ReViEw!_**

**_:)_**


	31. Chapter 30- (S)

**A/N- Yipee! Positive Reviews= Quick update! Okay, this chapter is mainly filler and setup for the inevitable Return of Superman as well as some sort of relationship setup for the Man Of Steel. Less BM/WW though. I know I said there would be some in this chapter, but there will be loads loads more in the next one which will hopefully be up within the next 24 hours.**

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**Chapter 30- (S)**

Clark saw the pen crumble in Diana's hand and fall to the floor. Hal didn't notice, but Bruce was staring at her with an intensity that would cause most to flinch. _Oh yes, I was right. The attraction is there. Bruce is attracted to her, but he's going to force himself not to be._

He had been back at school since a week ago, but Diana and Hal had been too busy with their duties to come to school. He had determinedly avoided Lois or Karen. He didn't need that right now, he just wanted to clear his mind of the mess that had been the past 7 months. He hadn't contacted Bruce or gone to Gotham, he wasn't ready for going back to that just yet.

It wasnt easy not letting Karen realize he was back, but he somehow managed to avoid her seeing him. It felt odd. He couldnt go back to her, it didnt feel right. He had been through so much, just talking to her again wouldnt be comfortable for him. It was an alien world for him yet again, and he had to re-acquaint himself before taking the leap to normality again.

He saw , the physics teacher enter the class, and before Diana could possibly break Hal's nose, they were forced to sit down. Clark had a wide view of the entire class, and could see the change of atmosphere in the room with the mere presence of Hal, Diana and Bruce. The air was alive with an unseen chaotic determination, one that kept the rest of the students eerily quiet. The girls which would openly flirt with Bruce were hesitating to pass notes to him in class, and none of them even bothered to look at Hal, who was absently fiddling with a ring on his finger. Clark's eyes drifted over to Diana and he saw she was grasping her chair, her hands leaving deformities on the metal legs. She was staring at Hal with the same intensity that Bruce had been staring at her.

Clark grimaced and settled back in his place. " Mr. Kent? Will you take the liberty of discussing our next topic?"

_Oh crap. _Clark stood up and saw Diana looking at him, eyebrows raised. _What is this, reunion day?_...

He walked to the front of the class and saw the diagrams that had drawn on the board. Quickly trying to connect the dots, he turned towards the class and tried to speak, but years of lacking in self confidence had led to his irrational stage fright, and he was stammering.

"Uh. Yeah. As was explaining, there is uh... a theory about...uh...the..." He cleared his throat and his breath hitched as he saw Karen looking at him with pain written on her face. He bit his lip nervously and clenched his fists open and shut. _She doesnt know what you've been through, who you were. Remember that none of them will ever know what you did, and you did it not for fame, but because that's who YOU are. Superman. With or without powers._

He faked having an attack of breathlessness, panting heavily. "Im sorry , could I be excused? I uh...feel sick..." excused him to leave, and as soon as the door of the class closed, he swerved back around, and signalled through the window of the class to Bruce. "**Meet Me After Class."**

And then he ran. Ran to his locker and forced it open, struggling to unlock the jammed hinges. After a deep breath and a heave, he opened the infuriating door and looked down at the box on the bottom shelf. He opened it and looked at the Codex, lying upon the blood red cape. He didnt know himself why he had come back to see it, but seeing Diana and Hal again had triggered something, a weird sense of dread that something _big _was coming. Something that he could stop if he were Superman again. _I cant do that again! I made the right decision. I cant keep doubting myself..._

He was about to close the box when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He threw the box inside his locker and quickly shut the door. He turned to see Karen looking up at him with the most pained and confused expression he had ever seen on her.

"Listen, Can we talk?"

"Karen, please...leave me alone. I can't do this right now."

"Where have you been, Clark? What happened to you? What happened to Diana? To Hal? To Bruce? Its all connected, I know..."

"Karen, please, forget that...but...I know its not that important...I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry for what I did to you before I left. I shouldn't have hurt you like that."

"It's okay, I forgive you."

"You...do?"

"I do. And..."

"And...?"

"I would like to try again with you... Because you've changed, I can see it. You aren't crazy infatuated with Diana anymore...I can tell. I realized when you were away that I was being stupid toying with you like that...I want something more serious now."

Clark couldnt breathe. He was suffocating, the sudden urge to rush away bubbled within him, and he stepped back. The thought that came to him was not one of happiness or sadness, but of a mixture of complex emotions. _She wants me. Why? Why not anyone else? She's Lying. She would never care. None of them would. Not now, not ever. _

She looked up at him expectantly, and he bowed his head down, and walked away.

The bell rang over her voice calling his name...

"_CLARK!..."_

* * *

**_A/N- Ooh Drama. Let me know what you think. Should Clark say Yes? Or should he not? Do you want a Superman/Supergirl relationship?_**

**_Remember here Karen is not Clark's cousin._**

**_Okay, next chapter, same POV, only after school when everything starts going down with Bruce, Hal and Diana trying (and failing) to sort things out. Some heated Bruce/ Diana arguments. :D_**


	32. Chapter 31- (S)

**A/N- Well, I delivered. BM/WW and Supergirl set up in this chapter! :) I got lovely reviews and ideas for Clark's Relationships! Thank you SO much for reviewing DDLo18, Nightmare Rose13, Doominater84, LOTSlover, and Guests! I appreciate it a lot, you guys are the best!**

* * *

**Chapter 32- (S)**

Thoughts blurred around Clark's head as he tried to come to a conclusion. The shuffle of bodies in the hallway helped him relax, he was grateful he couldnt hear all their heartbeats.

_I have too many secrets that I have to keep..._

He saw Bruce and Hal come out of the classroom, almost being dragged by Diana. She meant business for sure, Hal looked visibly nervous, while Bruce kept his calm, though Clark was sure that he wasn't as chill as he seemed. His thoughts strayed back to Karen as he followed them, staying out of sight.

_What if its time that I don't have to keep secrets? Maybe Karen might be right, I need to start over. If I had someone who could understand what I've been through..._

He kept four steps behind, and towards the left. They never even noticed. _Well, except Bruce of course. _Wayne had glanced back at him with a ghost of a smile.

She dragged them towards the football ground of the school, and finally stopped underneath the bleachers. The seats above them were full of people, there was practice going on. Clark slipped towards the side behind a support beam, leaning back casually but turning one ear to the trio.

"Hal, Bruce, We need to talk." Diana's voice sounded rough. "Where the HELL have you been? Do you have ANY idea what has happened while _you,_" she pointed at Hal "have been getting into unhealthy habits?"

Hal stammered. "Diana...I..I wasnt.."

"_Quiet..."_ she growled. Clark took a risk and glanced at them, but saw they were turned away from him. Diana continued. "Barry is in a coma, you know? He's been in one for the last 7 months, while you have been _away. _Couldnt you even tell us where you've been?!"

"How about you answer that question first, _Diana." _Bruce spoke her name as if it were difficult for him to pronounce, but it held a dangerous undertone.

_He's forcing her into a scenario where she would have to reveal she's Wonder Woman...Not a good idea, Bruce..._

Clark considered stepping in the middle but hesitated momentarily as Diana spoke again."How do you know that...you werent even here..."

"That's not the point. The point is that you're a hypocrite."

Diana looked shocked. "You don't know what I've been doing, what if it was something important!"

Bruce smirked. "Exactly. You don't know that either."

Diana, now in a corner, began to stutter. "You...You..._Bastard. _You don't know what I've sacrificed, but atleast I CAME BACK!"

Hal, who had been nervously watching the showdown, tried to get Diana calm. "Diana, please, can we stop? I promise I won't go anywhere again..."

"Hal, you've had everyone worried sick that you were doing something illegal!"

"Im sorry Diana...I was...er...I was...it was you. You went missing...and I couldn't bear to lose you, Princess..." He tried to hold her hand but she pushed it away.

"Hal, no. I think we need some time before we rush into something like this again."

That made Clark think. _She's trying to protect him. She doesnt know he's Green Lantern, and she doesnt want to hurt him. _It also made him come to a decision about Karen. _Give it some time. She is a strong person, and has a kind heart, with so much hope. She could have been in my place...She wouldve been a better Superman than I ever was. So much hope. _He smiled with melancholy.

Hal looked down, but seemed acceptant. "Okay, Diana. Listen, I have to go, um, do a thing, at, uh...a place..." She looked at him sadly and she let him walk away, looking at his back the entire distance. Clark ducked behind the beam as Hal passed him, and turned to see Bruce and Diana alone beneath the bleachers.

_Interesting..._

"How did you know I was missing? Weren't you In Gotham, doing business?"

"How did you know I was in Gotham, _Princess." _Bruce said flirtatiously.

"Touche...But are you going to answer my question?"

"I kept a tab on my friends. I visited Barry in the hospital several times...Joe West told me you went missing."

"Oh...I saw you had gotten transferred so I did some research. Turns out you own a business in Gotham."

"That, I do."

"Do you have any idea about that caped flying guy who fights crime in your city? The...Batman?" Diana asked intriguingly. _Oh this'll be interesting. _

"Batman? He's just a vigilante." Bruce said. "Why are you so interested?"

"Oh nothing, I just think he's an idiot. Gotham has a Police Department, doesnt he know that?"

Clark heard Bruce mutter under his breath "An incompetent one", but Diana didnt pay attention. "I mean, Come on, there are other metahumans doing good as well! Green Lantern! Why not let him handle it? Really, have you ever seen Green Lantern in Gotham?"

"Once or twice." Bruce deadpanned. Clark could sense him getting wary of the conversation they were getting into. "Diana, I have to go. I have a business to attend to. Since when did you like talking to _me _so much, anyway?"

Diana caught herself before she was about to say something else, then frowned, as if realizing _"Yeah, Im talking to playboy Bruce Wayne, who is an utter douchebag, and actually not hating it..." _She quickly spat " You are an insufferable egotist, you know that, right?"

Bruce smirked, and lifted up her chin. "Always." And with that he turned and walked away, turning back once to smirk at her dumbfounded face.

Clark laughed. _Well that conversation went nowhere. But atleast they are all friends again. _Then he realized he hadnt been included in the talk even though he had also been missing. _Well, most of us are anyway. They are probably too busy to care. _He smiled knowingly and looked at Diana, who was looking down, her eyebrows scrunched up in concentration, and a ridiculous pout. She finally sighed, and muttered to herself. "Bruce Wayne, you confuse the _hell _out of me..."

Clark suppressed a smile and ducked behind the beam as she passed by him, but then looked up to see Lois Lane looking down at him hiding, a winning smile plastered on her face. "Been eavesdropping, eh, CK?"

He said nothing but stood up to walk away, but Lois caught his arm. "Give Karen a chance, Kent, she has missed you. Put her in your position these 7 months. Wouldnt you have missed her? Would that change anything? Wouldnt this world be better?"

He didnt reply, but pushed Lois' hand off his arm. He needed to do something. Those words kept echoing in his head...

_Put her in your position these 7 months. Would that change anything? Wouldnt this world be better?... It would. Karen, Im sorry, but I think Zor-El will agree with me on this. Humanity deserves another chance to see Krypton's Last Light. I didnt have your spirit, and thats why I failed Krypton. But you won't. You are the best person I know for this._

He looked at Lois, and grinned suddenly. "Thank you, Lois...I know what must be done." He kissed her on the cheek, leaving her red faced and confused.

He ran towards his locker, removing the codex quickly from the box.

He opened Karen's locker, the code only taking him a minute to figure out, and kept the codex inside her bag. _Super...woman. No, it doesnt ring. Super...girl. Supergirl._

He smiled and shut her locker, running to the next class.

* * *

**THRONE ROOM- APOKOLIPS**

"Lord Darkseid, The parademons are ready to attack. Shall we send in the first wave? Or shall we send scouts?"

**"Strike Team Omega. Kalibak will bring me the Kryptonian Codex.**

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**A/N- I hope you liked it, Let me know what you think :) **

**Next chapter- There is a meta crisis in Central City and Lantern and Wonder Woman have to take care of it, but their relationship is strained because of Batman. Similar to how Diana+Hal is in a rough patch because of Bruce. Ahh see, parallels. Aren't I clever. :D**

**Remember, Positive Reviews=Quicker Updates! **


	33. Chapter 32- WW

**A/N- 50 REVIEWS! SO HAPPY! :)))**

**THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS READ THIS STORY SO FAR! I REALLY REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN A CHANCE TO MY STORY! THANK YOU ALL SOOO MUCH! YOU ARE AWESOME.**

**Thanks for reviewing, CrazyPhenom, MarrisaKeye, DDLo18, TheMcCOY and Guest! You each get a internet cookie shaped like a batarang :) **

**Thank you so much for your suggestions and I will try and integrate them as much as possible into the story...And your questions will be answered...eventually ;)**

**So on to this chapterrrrrr...Lots of Batman contemplation by Wonder Woman...Oooh...We all love that...**

**And...Hal and Diana cut things off to protect each other, not knowing that neither of them need protecting...**

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**Chapter 32****\- WONDER WOMAN**

"Mark Mardon? Weather Wizard? What does he want now?"

Lantern and Wonder Woman were in the Central City Police Department, where Joe West had just discovered that Weather Wizard had another plan to terrorize the city. The criminal mastermind was planning to wipe out the city's entire population unless Green Lantern was brought to him. Mardon was demanding Lantern for taking revenge against him for capturing Hannibal Bates, who was his teammate in the Central City Rogues Gallery.

Joe explained this situation to the two colourful heroes, who immediately offered to help. Lantern decided to let Mardon take him, and see what his intentions were. Wonder Woman was not happy about this.

"He wants to kill you. That's all. Are you going to risk your life just because you think he has some different plan? Or do you just want to do whatever I say not to do?"

"Are you trying to start a fight?"

"No, because you would lose."

Joe, who was glancing rapidly back and forth between the spitfire, decided to intervene. "Wonder Woman, please, stop. We can take down Weather Wizard together. We have the element of surprise. If we can ambush Mardon just as he is taking Lantern, we should be able to catch him by surprise."

"Very well, Detective West. I will not criticize Lantern's decision, although it is a stupid one." Diana glared at Lantern with unhidden contempt. He seemed irritated beyond belief.

"_What _is your _problem?"_

"My problem is that you're foolish, Lantern. Batman is not _trustworthy!"_

"He helped me stop a world engine when the Metropolis incident happened! He helped me save the world, I damn well think he's trustworthy enough, so you can think whatever the hell you want, but I believe he doesn't have cruel intentions towards Gotham City, or anywhere else for that matter! Just because he didn't want to shake your hand you hate him for no reason? Well get off your high horse, _Princess, _because that's just how he is. So you better learn to deal with it!"

Diana was stunned at the sudden outburst. Lantern had always been the calm and composed type, rarely speaking, never loosing his cool. Seeing how he defended Batman was very confusing for Diana. She had misjudged the dynamic between the two, assuming Lantern was afraid of Batman and disliked him very much. But this apparently was not the case...

She didn't say anything but bowed her head down, watching GL glide out from the window in a state of extreme irritation. _Maybe he was right, I was letting the fact that Batman didn't shake my hand get to my head. I extended the hand of friendship and he rejected it. Maybe that's just how the Batman operates, without any friends. I was too quick to judge. The next time I see the Batman I will earn his respect. Now to apologize to Lantern._

Determined to complete her goal, she flew after him and caught up to him in half a minute or so. He didnt turn to look at her, but he muttered, "I'm Sorry." And continued flying.

"Don't apologize, please, I should be apologizing to you. I mean it. I should've realized that that is how Batman is. Now lets take down Weather Wizard once and for all, together."

Lantern turned and smiled at her, and she felt something twist in her gut. An odd guilty feeling that made her want to hide her face under a pillow and scream. It felt oddly uncomfortable, so she focused forwards, on the man standing on the docks. Mark Mardon. Weather Wizard.

She hid behind a shipping container, and let Lantern go first. He stepped towards Mardon and laughed casually. "So, Weather Wizard. What is it you want from me?"

"I want to know the location of Hannibal Bates."

"Oh, Everyman? Sorry, but he's been locked away. He had been a bad, bad boy. And you're one too aren't you, Mardon."

"You don't scare me, Lantern. I find you about as intimidating as a goldfish."

"It's not me you should be scared of..."

Diana knew a cue when she heard one. She jumped out from behind the container and grasped Mardon's hands from behind. He elbowed her in the ribs and she yelped in surprise at his strength. He slipped from her grasp and flipped into the water, summoning a miniature storm to hit her in the face. She was knocked back, and regained footing just in time to see Green Lantern scanning the water over the bay only to realise that Mardon had escaped.

Lantern gritted his teeth, helping Diana up. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine, but Mardon escaped...we weren't fast enough...Speed is the key to defeating Weather Wizard, and we don't have enough..."

Lantern grimaced and clasped her shoulder. "Don't worry, there will always be other opportunities." Diana nodded and smiled. "Shall we say our goodbyes then?"

The Green Man nodded, giving her a wide grin, and soaring off through the air.

She waited until he disappeared from view and then flew rapidly to home. _I have to talk to Hal about our relationship..._

* * *

**ONE HOUR LATER-**

She walked towards the football ground where the guys would usually play after school, taking casual steps to try and feel normal again. She had changed into a pair of slim fit jeans and a sky blue Lacoste t-shirt, with blue sneakers. The Perfect casual look.

She walked towards the ground where she saw Hal, Bruce and Oliver playing, with Clark Kent sitting on the sidelines, an odd look on his face, a mixture of exuberance and an intense weariness that was his trademark. Diana, unnerved by his weirdness, sat towards the other end of the bleachers.

She looked at the 3 muscular guys playing, and she couldn't help but whistle appreciatively in her head. Oliver had a lean but athletic build, which Dinah, his girlfriend, told everyone about. Diana was not a big fan of the lean and muscular type, Barry and Ollie seemed to be identical in that way. Clark looked thin and wiry, an unhealthy combination.

She glanced over at Hal, who was muscular, with defined abs and toned biceps. She highly admired those..._Stop it Diana, you can't think of him like that...you can't be with him any longer...you would break him in two..._

She frowned sadly and her eyes trailed over to Bruce. His body was covered by a thick T-shirt, but even that wasn't enough to hide the strong Pectorals and shoulders that were clearly evident despite the bulky outfit. She internally scoffed. _So that's why the girls all want to get his clothes off, he hardly ever wears anything that shows his muscles off. For the great playboy that he is... he's not using all of his resources..._

She giggled, and then caught Hal looking at her. Her face fell momentarily, but she smiled and beckoned him over, the boys looked like they were finished. Hal jogged over as Oliver, Clark and Bruce walked away, thankfully allowing the two of them some space.

"Um..hi..." she said. _That was lame. You're freaking Wonder Woman. Get your act together. _

"Hey, Diana...Look, I know you said you didn't want to rush into things again, but I wanted you to know that I'm here for you. You can tell me anything."

_No, Not ANYthing..._

"Hal, I'm sorry. I know we were together for a long time, but these past few months made me realize that we were just holding each other back. I don't want to hurt you. I know you'll find someone better than me."

"Diana...I understand. I know it's difficult for you too. But maybe its the right thing to do. We should go and live our lives, do the duties that we have to do, and not get tied down by this. I also did a lot of thinking, and I realized that even though it might hurt, its for the best."

Diana smiled sadly, tears brimming in her eyes, and hugged Hal tightly. _One Last Time..._

She breathed in his strong Cinnamon smell and knew she would miss it. _It's for the best. _She let go of him slowly and turned to walk away.

"Hey...want me to walk you home?"

She looked back at him and bit her lip nervously. "No, that's alright, Hal..."

He nodded, and she looked into his eyes. They looked dull, but they spoke to her..._I understand, Diana...Im sorry..._

She felt a nagging pain in her chest which she put off to be the blow she had received from Weather Wizard, but deep down she knew it was a pain that would change everything between them. Hal picked up the football and jogged home, his movements forced and mechanical.

Diana let a single tear spill from her eyes as she ran home...

* * *

**A/N- Eep, Romantic Drama. No, this is not turning into Arrow. **


	34. Chapter 33- Supergirl

**A/N- Thank You all for the feedback/Reviews/Messages, MarissaKeye, DDLo18, CrazyPhenom, Guest, and bsm1204 :)**

**I appreciate it a lot! And I hope you like this chapter, its my first time trying a Supergirl POV! :D**

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**Chapter 33- Supergirl**

It was evening, the light fading to a murky gray, the dark clouds in the sky casting dreadful shadows on the ground. Depression clung to the air like a stench.

Karen walked slowly down the winding road from house, her footsteps creating a repetitive rhythm that distracted her from thinking too much about what Clark had said to her. She had her bag on her back and was going to find a place to sit and study. She managed to reach the park near Diana's apartment complex without breaking down, and sat on a bench about a hundred metres from the ground in which the guys would play football. She saw 3 figures playing and another sitting on the sidelines and her breath caught in her throat. _Clark..._

She closed her eyes and tried to meditate, waiting for someone, anyone to come who she could talk to...Iris, Diana, even Lois...

_I don't understand...Why did he run away? He always said that he wanted something serious, but I never did...When I finally say I want him, he runs? Is that his nature? Some sort of cruel minded jerk who only wanted to play with my emotions? _She bit her lip and took a deep breath. _Maybe I should take out some books, drowning myself in books should keep me distracted until someone comes who I can talk to._

She pulled out her books, and in doing so, a sleek metallic pendant dropped on the ground. She squinted, trying to think what it was. She bent down to pick it up and brought it to her eye level. There was a symbol etched on the flat side of the shaped structure, an _**S, **_enclosed within a diamond. _What is this...? Who's is it? It's obviously not mine..._

She decided to find out who it belonged to and return it to them the next day, sliding the metallic key into her pocket, where she could almost sware it was warm. She scanned through the first few pages of the chapter in her book, but she felt the key heat up to such an extent it was scalding her skin. _What the...?_

She took it out and it burned her hand, sending an electric shock up her arm. She was paralysed in pain, and through her ringing ears, she could hear Bruce, Oliver and Clark approaching. She sat up straight, determined to mask her pain, and looked down at the book, clenching her fists. She glanced up as they passed, gritting her teeth as the electricity passed through her body. Oliver waved ,and she grimaced, nodding at him and Bruce. She looked at Clark, who was looking at her hand. He looked up, quickly making eye contact with her for a split second. She saw those empty eyes, cold, calculating, vast and oh so..._soft? _He was confusing...but she had no time to ponder on that.

The three of them disappeared from her line of sight, and she unclenched her fists, almost screaming in relief. The pain eased up, but she felt...different. Almost _hyper aware. _She threw the mysterious key into her bag and shut her books. Hoisting it on her shoulder, she turned to run home but then saw a streak of green light in her peripheral vision. She turned to look at it but it was gone. Instead, she saw Diana walking up to her, cradling herself in her arms. Karen ran towards Diana.

"Diana?! Are you okay?"

"I...I just broke up with Hal..."

_What?! The perfect couple broken up? Oh no...now I'll have to protect her from playboy Bruce Wayne...and heartbreaker jerk Clark Kent..._

"Diana, that's horrible..." She hugged her friend tightly but she didnt respond, it was almost like hugging a rock. "You need to eat some ice cream and get some sleep. The more you stress over it, the worse you'll feel"

_You're a damn hypocrite, Karen..._

"Thanks, Karen...I don't know why I'm feeling like this...I have a job to do, and I can't keep..."

_A job...? She's still in high school! _

"A job Diana?"

Diana looked momentarily panicked, as if she had slipped up something, but then improvised an excuse. "A job, you know Karen, like studying and taking care of my mother, becoming a good doctor, or something..."

"Hmmm..." Karen muttered, clearly sceptical. "It's okay, leave it alone. You wanna tell me why you did it?"

"Seven months...He's changed so much... I'm not sure I like that. I dont want to rush into things again."

"I understand...Now go home and get some fresh air, then sleep."

"Fresh air..." Diana trailed off, smiling weakly. She touched Karen's shoulder gently. "Thank you, Karen."

Diana turned and walked away, dragging her feet. Karen unclenched her fists, gasping in pain as the burning resided slowly. _What the hell WAS that?_

She glanced up and saw Diana had vanished. She saw an odd blur streak across the sky but put it down to a hallucination in pain. She felt weak, her legs shaking and nausea overtook her senses. She tasted blood in her mouth and fell to her knees, shaking. _What is happening to me?_

Her eyes blurred, and the last thing she saw was a pair of deep, dark eyes...

* * *

**THREE DAYS LATER**

Karen woke up with a start, causing her bed to collapse. Her hand was shaking. She looked up to see someone standing by her. The figure was clad in a sort of weird space armor, a bright yellow and red _**S **_in the centre of his chest. It was definetly a he, but he looked dead, almost robotic.

She quickly sat up herself and glanced around at where she was. Some sort of spaceship, she noticed, glancing out of the gaping hole in the wall of the makeshift room. _In the Arctic? Or could be Antarctic. Or Canada..._ She looked at the floor, which shifted underneath her. It seemed to be made of a living fabric. She felt completely weirded out. Trying to recollect her memory, all she remembered was a burning pain, and a strange aching in her muscles. She looked down at herself and gasped.

She was wearing a similar outfit as the only difference was it was shaped slightly different, seemed to be made of a thinner, deep blue material and had a red skirt attached to her waist. She looked up at the man's, only to see a sleek visor covering his cheekbones and eyes. She tried to focus, but she couldnt see it properly. It was a face that was easily forgettable. She blinked at him, and he moved towards her. Then, he spoke, and she jumped. His voice was sonorous and deep.

"**My name is Jor-El. I come from the planet Krypton..." **She listened intently as he told her the story of Krypton's destruction, and how he had sent the codex to Earth, but Zod had come after it.

"Where is Zod now? Isn't he the last Kryptonian now?"

"**Zod is in the phantom zone, and the codex was brought back to this ship along with you. You were not supposed to be changed. I hope that you are not too upset by this."**

"Why would I be upset about this?"

"**You will not be able to interact properly with humans again after you leave this ship, your genes have been modified. You are now half Kryptonian, and you have abilities I cannot fathom you can handle."**

"WHAT?! So I'm a _metahuman _now? Why me?! And you never told me _HOW _Zod ended up in the phantom zone! You said he came to Earth! I saw the Metropolis Incident on the News, I _KNOW _he was here for trying to make Earth into Krypton, so how did he end up in the phantom zone? Who stopped him? Wonder Woman wasn't even _around _at the time! And I dont think it was Green Lantern!"

"**That information is not for me to disclose."**

Karen was close to tearing her hair out. Jor-El had told her about what would happen once she left the ship's Kryptonian atmosphere, but she was more caught up with the fact that _SHE _had been chosen for such a responsibility. _Bridge between two worlds? What the actual...?_

She glared at the hologram Jor-El. "Why me then...?"

"**It was not my decision...But you are the only chance left. The codex was destroyed after it modified your genes. Please, Karen, help the people of Earth understand...Be a beacon of hope, greater than any before you..."**

Karen didn't like the way Jor-El said the last line in vague contempt. "Before me...? There were others? Did you scare them off too, thats why they put that bastardly _codex _in my bag? Is that it? Am I just another test?"

Jor-El looked nervous. **"You are our only chance left...please Karen...help us."**

"FINE! But first tell me properly. Why me?!"

"**Someone saw good in you. They wanted to give you a chance to become better than they were, to become something they never could."**

"Yes, but WHO?!"

"**Karen, please, I assure you that the truth will be revealed to you eventually. But it is not my place to tell you this...Please, just trust."**

_Just trust..._She thought of something Clark had said to her so long ago, back when she had broken his heart...he had opened his heart to her, he had asked for a chance, and she had laughed at him...

"_You know, Karen, Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith first, the trust part comes later..."_

She had laughed and told him she had to go home. He had smiled sagely at her and watched her walk away, clearly hurt. Her mind focused on the present, as she looked into Jor-El's eyes.

"That same someone brought me here, didn't they. They knew you would talk to me, they knew what I would have to do. I didn't want this, but that doesnt mean I wont do it. But if I ever do see them, I will break their face."

"**Thank you, Kara."**

"Kara...?"

"**It was my niece's name...you remind me of her...she always was a little brash. I believe you should take her name as a Kryptonian... Kara Zor-El."**

"I...I don't know what to say...thank you..."

"**You can thank me by proving to me that it wasn't a bad decision to give you the ability to be a force for good...or for evil. Prove to me that symbol on your chest should mean hope for all who look upon it..."**

Karen nodded, stepping out onto the ice with a deep breath, ready to embrace her new destiny, and forget about her past, which she didn't want to deal with anyway. She was grateful to this mystery person who had given her this opportunity to forget about Clark Kent and do something useful with her life, but at the same time she was angry at them for not telling her about everything before taking her away from her friends. She resolved to someday find out who it was that had given her a new hope...

She smiled, all thoughts of Clark Kent gone from her mind, a new mission to find this mystery person the only thing worth focusing on.

Then her ears started ringing, and her eyes began to burn...Jor-El had told her this would happen...

_So it begins..._

* * *

**_A/N- Totally going to skip all of her powers developing, I already did so much of that with Clark..._**

**_So next chapter is where the timelines finally all line up, and we get to see..._**

**_The. Fastest. Man. Alive._**

**_After so long._**

**_So currently we have a heartbroken Diana and Hal who fight meta's in Central City,_**

**_A Bruce Wayne who fights crime in Gotham and occasionally gives tips to WW and GL,_**

**_A Supergirl who is learning how to use her powers in the Arctic,getting over Clark Kent and searching for the person who gave her her powers...(Little does she know its the same person XD)_**

**_And A depowered, wiry Superman who is doing absolutely nothing, and has super-depression. _**

**_Who are all going to meet in the next chapter... So much hype yes..._**

**_Oh I thought I'd do the power level's thing from the 16th chapter again...you guys remember that right? 1=Normal Human._**

**_SM-0.5_**

**_BM- 1.8_**

**_WW- 650_**

**_GL- 500_**

**_Flash- 3.5_**

**_Supergirl- 450 as of chapter 34._**

**_Let me know if you think they are inaccurate..._**

**_Please leave a review, it really motivates me to type faster, and it helps this fic gain hits, as people tend to read fics with more reviews :D_**

**_PLEASE REVIEWWWWW! MORE REVIEWS= FASTER BM/WW and faster SM/** !_**


	35. Chapter 34- Flash

**A/N- Okay I got a kinda depressing review from a guest who said that im being stupid and anyone can write shit like this as the characters are not in character. Okay, I know I said say whatever you want, but how many times have I said that of course they won't be in character if they haven't got their powers yet and they are teenagers…the whole dumb story is to get them in character. Yeesh. Anyway I hope that not all reviews are gonna follow his/her example. Oh well, can't please everyone. I know that some stories start of really interesting and then become extremely boring, I think this one is kinda the opposite of that. It keeps getting better in my head :D anyway, rant's over, here's The Fastest Man Alive.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 34- The Flash**

**EARTH-**

Barry awoke, hazily hearing the words to Lady Gaga's Poker Face playing in the background. He heard voices. "Will you turn that off?"

"Hey, quiet, He likes this song!"

"How do you know?"

"I checked his FaceBook page."

Barry blinked once, then twice, and then jolted upright. "Where am I?! What happened to me?!"

A jolly looking Latino with locks brushing his shoulders and a twinkle in his eye stood next to a brunette with a soft, heart shaped face and a sad smile upon her lips. She helped Barry up.

"Barry Allen. We are from S.T.A.R Labs. My name is Caitlin Snow, and this is Cisco Ramone. You've been in a coma for 9 months."

"9MONTHS?!"

The Latino, Cisco, spoke up. "Hey, relax, kid, you're fine now, you were struck by lightning, I know, but you've recovered pretty well"

Caitlin interjected. "Yes. Your cells should have been ridiculously damaged but instead they are in a state of constant cellular regeneration. Did you understand any of that?"

Barry sighed. "Unfortunately, Yes. I'm known to be bit of a nerd." Sitting upright on the bed, he plucked out the IV's and data patches from his arms. He jumped off and felt strangely light. He saw his shirtless form in a mirror across the room. _Constant Cellular Regeneration huh…CCR. _Turning to Caitlin and Cisco, He spoke up. "Lightning gave me abs?"

"Yes, CCR remember? And you shouldn't even be able to have those muscles at your age. We need to see more data. We have to run some more tests on you."

Barry pulled on a T-shirt with the S.T.A.R Labs logo on it. "I feel fine." He went over to the door. "I'm sorry but I have to go."

Caitlin yelled out "Hey, Kid! We have to run more tests!"

But Barry was already out the door.

EARTH- BARRY'S HOME.

He had taken a taxi home, but didn't have any money on him, so he rang the doorbell thrice. Henry, grumbling, said through the door "Who's there? What dyou want?" As he opened it, he stopped mid sentence and relief flooded in his eyes. "Barry…"

He gave his son a hug, clasping tightly, trying to repress the tears of joy. Barry awkwardly shifted out of it, then pointed to the taxi down the street. "Umm…Dad….I don't have any money."

"Don't even worry about it, Bear."

"Please stop calling me that."

Henry smiled and paid the taxi driver. Barry went upstairs, that giddy lightness not leaving him. In his room, he changed into a loose red T shirt and jeans. Coming back downstairs, he saw his father waiting for him with a glass of water. Handing Barry the glass, Henry sighed and started to speak.

"Barry, you were in a coma for 9 months. You got hit by lightning, and the chemicals that had spilt in you burned your skin. You were unstable. It was scary. You would keep going into cardiac arrest, and whenever the doctors tried to stabilize you, the hospital's lights would flicker. I contacted S.T.A.R Labs and they took you in. They said you had undergone some…_Metasis…_or something. They said you might get weird powers, like those criminals in Central City, Those "Weather Wizard" and "Multiplex" and all those other "Metahumans" affected by the particle accelerator explosion there 3 years ago. They said that the same dark matter may have affected you…So now we have to wait and watch, whether you get weather controlling powers, or the ability to duplicate yourself, or some other wacko thing."

"Dad, I feel fine! Great, actually. I have abs! And I'm not skinny anymore!" That was true, actually. Barry now bordered on the lean and muscular type, but he still wasn't "ripped".

Henry frowned nervously. "Okay, I'll take your word for it. But if you feel _anything_, just let me know. Okay?"

"I promise."

"Okay now go play video games or whatever you wanna do. But you have a lot of homework to catch up on. 8th grade is almost over, you know…" Henry said, smiling.

Barry nodded, "Yeah sure" Thinking about school made him think of Iris. _Does she remember me?_ _Probably not, I barely talked to her…_Distractedly, Barry went outside. Iris would usually be hanging out with her friends Diana and Lois near her apartment complex, walking around. He felt irrationally happy, and had no intention of being afraid of talking to her, after all, he had survived a potentially fatal lightning strike and possibly had badass "metahuman" powers, so talking to Iris would be no sweat.

He jogged down the porch, and stopped for a moment. _It's not that far off that I have to bike, I'll walk. Besides, I need the exercise. _He started walking, keeping a moderate pace, leisurely enjoying the fresh air. After a while, he changed his mind. _I'll jog, I feel like jogging…_

He stepped forward to increase his speed, and the world went into jelly. It was like bullet time in the matrix. He saw everything slow down and almost come to a stop. A bird flapping its wings midair, a car driving by moving at a snail's pace, and an old man sitting on his front porch that was in his rocking chair, frozen mid rock. Barry gasped, and the world came back to normal. The car passed by him. He turned to see it go. Turning back, he saw the old man was now steadily rocking and the bird had passed out of sight.

Barry took a deep breath and blinked once, then twice again. _That was so dope…I need to go back to S.T.A.R Labs._

Turning around, he started running, slowly going faster and faster, until he realized he was passing the car that had gone by him half a minute ago. Skidding to a stop, Barry's eyes widened. _I'm fast…_

Cracking his knuckles and checking no one was around, he warmed his legs up and kneeled on the ground, ready to see just how fast he could go. He inhaled, and then exhaled deeply. Looking forward, Barry felt something crackling in his bloodstream, something powerful, something itching to be released. He followed this sensation and felt sparking in his muscles. Pushing off from the ground, Barry shot off like a rocket. The air rippled in protest as he cut through it like a knife through butter. It was the most amazing feeling Barry had ever felt. Unable to resist the temptation, Barry whooped loudly as he streaked past the houses in a flash of yellow lightning. "_WHOHOOO!"_

* * *

**A/N-I took influence from CW's Flash, I know. :) Im trying to join together the best of the character. Barry Allen is totally cool and you can imagine what mischief he'll be getting into with super speed. I hope you liked the chapter and as always, you can say whatever you want, I promise I won't get angry, just depressed. **


	36. Chapter 35- Flash

**A/N- A quick (pun intended) chapter here, and the next one right after to make up for lack of updates past 2 weeks.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 35- The Flash**

Barry flew past the buildings, the speed in his legs giving him a perception to the world unlike any other. He could see things so slowly, he could see the dust particles in the air, the blinking of an eye, the twitching of a cat chasing a mouse on the ground. He skidded to a stop in front of S.T.A.R Labs. Looking down, he jumped. His shoes were on fire. He stomped the ground several times, until the heat subsided. Glancing up at the structure, he entered the building, whirring past the security. He whooshed in front of Caitlin and Cisco, the two scientists who had been there when he awoke. Caitlin yelped.

"Okay, definitely metasized then." Cisco smiled. Barry nodded.

Caitlin grimaced. "Are you ready to run some more tests?"

Shrugging, the 13 year old shot out the door, leaving a dazed Cisco and Caitlin to wonder where he went. He appeared in less than 3 seconds wearing a bright red firefighting suit, several sizes too big. Cisco frowned. "Why didn't I think of that? You would've obviously needed some kind of…protection against friction." Barry smiled. "I told you, nerd alert. I understand everything you are saying, and then some."

Cisco rolled his eyes, turning to the monitors. "You can't stay here though. We don't have enough material to run the tests required. We have to go to our division in Central City, the particle accelerator there can provide data to run simultaneous tests with your cells. You have the potential to speed up atoms without any sort of external power source to extreme speeds! The scientific potential of this in physics could be amazing! Er…you keeping up?"

Barry nodded. "I go fast without outside pushing, that's very important. Got it."

Cisco smiled and nodded. "We will have to go the normal way though. By car."

"Yeah sure, no problem…except one. What about my Dad?"

Caitlin interjected "We'll give him a message. You didn't tell anyone, right?"

"Of course not, I'm not stupid."

But Barry did want to. _What would Vic say about this? And the others? _He was sure that they wouldn't tell anyone, they were trustworthy enough. _I have got to tell them. _He came to a silent decision.

Caitlin and Cisco took their supplies and materials and packed them into a S.T.A.R Labs van while he silently watched them, thinking about how he would tell his friends, and what would happen next? Would he become a superhero or something? Like… a kid version of Quicksilver? He mentally scoffed. _I bet I'm way faster than him… _Caitlin turned towards him, and motioned to the door. "Could you give us a minute? We need to tell our boss that we are leaving" Barry gestured _Go Ahead, Please. _And the two scientists went inside the building, leaving Barry around 3 minutes to call everyone, he guessed.

Quickly drawing out his phone, He texted his father, then called Victor. After 3 rings, Barry realized he wasn't going to pick up. Next, he dialed Hal. **The number you are calling does not exist. **Barry frowned…had something happened to Hal? That left him 4 options. Iris, Diana, Bruce…and Clark.

Iris wasn't an option. He wasn't going to put her in danger. _Superhero cliché, dude_ he thought to himself. He thought of calling Diana but then decided against it. He would tell her later. Dialing, he waited for the ring before the other end picked up.

"Hey, Bruce?"

"Barry."

Barry noticed he sounded out of breath. Bruce doing physical exercise? That was really unlike him.

"Where are you?" he asked him.

"I'm in the middle of something at the moment, is it urgent?" _Typical…_

"Bruce, you know the storm that happened 9 months ago?"

"Yeah? You were affected weren't you?"

_How?... _

"Uh…yeah. Aren't you surprised to hear from me? It's been a long time…"

Bruce didn't respond. "Barry, things are more complicated now than they were before. You aren't the only one. Look for Wonder Woman after reaching Central City."

_Who? _Barry wondered. More importantly, how did Bruce know that he was going to Central City?

"How do you know that?"

He heard Bruce sigh. "Barry, I know that you would go to S.T.A.R Labs after you got your powers, and they would want to study you. Only problem is they don't have the necessary equipment. Am I right?"

Barry closed his mouth. "Quite so, Sherlock Holmes."

Wayne wasted no time. "Get to Central City. Find Wonder Woman." He kept the phone down.

Barry sped into the van. "Let's go!" he shouted over to Cisco and Caitlin, who were now getting the rest of the equipment into the van. Rolling his eyes, he quickly arranged all the equipment inside and raised his eyebrows. "Can we go now?"

* * *

**A/N- Next chapter is going to be the best yet. Why? Because that's when the War begins.**


	37. Chapter 36- The War Begins

**A/N- Thank you all for reviewing-LOTSlover,CrazyPhenom,TheMcCOY,DDLo18, MarissaKeye, and Guest! I was really happy with the reviews! Please keep reviewing in the future! For now, A super long chapter. I mean, SUPER long. The War Begins.**

**Disclaimer- No Copyright infringement intended towards DC Comics, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, or the Arctic Monkeys.**

* * *

**Chapter 36- The War Begins...**

It was Raining in Gotham. In an alleyway by a bus stop, a woman stood, smoking a cigarette, waiting for a bus to come. She took a puff of her cigarette and stubbed it out on the wall next to her, which was dirty with graffiti. There was a flash of thunder, and she jumped up, but saw no one was there. She sighed in relief. A bus raced past her, and she ran after it, yelling behind it. "Hey! Stop the bus, dammit!"

But the bus didnt stop. She saw two boys in the back of the bus who looked back at her and rasberried. She stuck her tongue out at them, irritated. Thunder struck again, and she heard something whoosh behind her. Her blood ran cold. She had heard reports about the mysterious Batman rampant in Gotham city. Police reports had no idea what he was...some said he was a Vampire, some said a demon. She froze, unable to turn and face whatever it wasiI behind her. She took a deep breath and turned around quickly, but there was nothing there. She sighed. Then, a twisted, grotesque hand grabbed her collar, and she was lifted into the air. She screamed, and the being which had taken her snarled.

* * *

**Green Lantern**

Hal flew silently over the buildings in Gotham. He was here to meet the Batman about a creature that had attacked Central City, a twisted, disgusting monster with high tech armour, and a symbol burned into its crest. An Omega. He didnt want to attract attention, he knew Batman didnt like it when he drew too much to himself when in Gotham. He had cloaked himself, and was flying low.

Wonder Woman had been strangely silent the last week, and that was strange for him, she was usually happy, a lazy smile plastered on her face. But she had been sad recently. It might have also been true that she was perfectly fine, it was Hal that was sad because of his break up with Diana. Their break up had been mutual, but it was like there was something Diana was not telling him. True, he hadn't told her that he was Green Lantern either, but he also felt like she had a secret.

It mightve been him who was moping around and upset, that's why Wonder Woman seemed off. He realized as her partner in protecting Central City, he had sealed up and become difficult to approach. That was probably why she hadn't said much to him. He made a mental note to himself to apologize to her for shutting down. As he resolved to to this, he heard screaming. Instantly his eyes darted to the source of the sound. He saw a cloaked beast with a woman in its hands, running on rooftops towards Gotham Docks. He soared in the air and landed in front of it.

"Going somewhere, Buddy?"

It jumped off towards the side of the building. Hal smirked.

"All right. You wanna dance? Let's dance."

He fired a blast of energy from the ring, which turned into an enormous serpent, coiling around the beast. He grinned. "Your move, precious."

The beast hoisted the woman over its head. "No, NO, Dont!" It threw her downwards, and she fell towards the ground. "Crap." Hal muttered. He made a baseball glove and caught her in it. He turned it into an elevator and brought it up to the roof of a building which said _WayneTech_ on the side. _WayneTech huh...That's the company Bruce owns. Hey, I wonder if Batman knows Wayne Enterprises...hmmm._

He set the elevator down slowly and opened up the doors. She stepped out, wide eyed. "You saved me..."

"Sure did. The name is-"

"What's the catch?"

"What?!"

"What's it gonna cost me?"

Hal couldn't believe his ears. He rolled his eyes. "You're welcome, Lady." He lifted off, determined to catch the escaping beast. He heard a yell from behind him,

"And how am I supposed to get down from here now!?"

Hal flew towards the docks, that was where the creature had gone. "Now...where did my creepy crawly get to?..."

He was grabbed from behind and thrown into a neon sign, an explosion of fire making him groan. He blinked and looked up at the beast in front of him, who's cloak was burning off. As the fabric burned, it revealed a suit of high tech armor, an Omega symbol burned into the chest. It was the monster Wonder Woman and him had taken down in Central City. Hal's eyes widened, as the monster picked him up, and threw him into the next building. He landed on his back and groaned. The beast caught him unawares and stepped on his chest. Hal gritted his teeth in discomfort. Then, a blur and a kick. The monster landed on its side, a shadowy figure landing on top of it.

"What were you doing at the docks. I want answers."

It roared, sending a torrent of fire at the dark figure. The shadow rolled out of the way, but the demon caught up and punched it. Hal sprung into action. He summoned a train and rammed it into the beast. It was blown back a hundred feet or so. He went over to the dark figure and shone a light on him for better visibility. When he saw who it was, he gasped. "Batman...?"

The Dark Knight had improved his suit. It looked like more lithe, less bulky armor, and had a strange belt, assorted items placed in it. He nodded approvingly. "Nice outfit, spooky."

Batman covered his face. "Turn the damn light off before they see us."

"Before who sees us?"

A loudspeaker blared. **"**_**THIS IS GOTHAM PD. PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR." **_3 helicopters floated near the rooftop. Hal put his hands up. "They dont like us much. Central City Police Department is way nicer."

"They're afraid of us."

"You say that like its a good thing, Batsy"

"It's necessary."

Hal heard the beast get up behind him. His battle reflexes kicked in and he moved the helicopters to the side as the beast took flight. Batman ran behind it, firing a grappling hook which grabbed onto its leg. He called back to Hal. "Take your glowstick and go home, Gotham's mine."

He swung in the air, Lantern following him, unshaken.

* * *

**Batman**

Bruce swung between buildings, tension in his muscles as the cord of the grappling hook pulled his arm. The beast tried to shake him off, but he held fast. It flew over a building and he grabbed the opportunity. Using another hook, he fired it at a chimney on the building. Then, he jumped up and brought the two cables together, stopping the flight with a jerk. The beast was tied to the chimney. He was hanging in the air, holding the cables together.

The beast growled and with a surge of strength, tore off the chimney. _Shit. _

It sailed downwards and Batman retracted the grappling hook, bringing the distance between them to zero. He landed on its back mid fall, and wrapped the cord around the beast's neck. It roared and knocked him into the wall of a building. Batman grunted, stuck within the concrete. Then, Lantern clipped its wings with a giant scissors. It fell to the ground with an explosion. Batman grappled down from the wall, landing smoothly on the pavement. Lantern floated down softly by him.

There was an open manhole cover, the road cracked.

"So what's it doing in Gotham?"

"Witnesses spotted this thing trying to plant some kind of bomb downtown. When the cops confronted it, it spewed fire from its mouth."

"Wonder Woman and I have fought this thing before, but I thought we killed it...thats why I came to Gotham to ask you about it."

"It's possible this might be a clone or a copy. An expendable soldier. I have a feeling there is a much bigger game being played here than we would think. Now, where is Wonder Woman?" _Im asking that just because she could be a help in a bigger fight, not any other reason. No, no other reason at all. _He tried to convince himself, but realised he did want to see Diana again, just to apologize to her for being a jerk as Batman. He wouldnt tell Wonder Woman his identity, but he could patch things up so they could work together better. _So you want to work together with her, huh?_ He pushed that thought out. He needed to focus. They had a monster to catch.

He dived into the manhole. Lantern flew behind him. "Wonder Woman was preoccupied. She had a meeting with the president. But this thing shouldnt be a problem, Green Lantern can do _anything."_

"Except shut up, apparently." Bruce said sardonically. _Hal has gotten even more arrogant as a Lantern. _

"Wow, someone forgot to take their true blood tonight."

"I'm not a vampire."

"Seriously? I thought with the darkness and the, what, vanishing..."

"No."

"You seriously are just some guy in a bat costume, arent you."

He turned and smirked. Lantern looked scandalized. Bruce decided to show off. Lantern's suit vanished, leaving a dumbfounded Hal Jordan.

"Not concentrating, kid?" He held up Lantern's ring. He couldnt help the "kid" part. It just fet right. After all, Hal did look only 15.

"HEY! How'd you do that!?" Batman smirked. Hal looked pissed, pulling the ring back to him. "You won't do that again!"

"Unless I want to..."

That ticked him off completely. "Okay! Thats it! Lets RUMBA, SPOOKY!" He pushed Bruce into the wall. Bruce grabbed Hal's shoulder and pointed behind the next sewer tube. He held up a finger to his lips and pushed Lantern off him. He heard growling from the corner, and they both kept quiet immediately. The monster put some sort of box onto the wall and pressed a button in the center of it. Lantern looked ready to pounce, but Bruce stopped him. "Hold Fast, we need more info."

The box began to glow wth a bright red light. "Bull CRAP, That's a bomb and he just armed it!" Lantern sprung out, confronting the beast.

It turned to look at him and seemed to almost smile, a vicious voice speaking out.

"**FOR DARKSEID..."**

There was an enormous explosion, and Hal was knocked backwards. He got up, coughing and groaning. Batman turned from behind the corner.

"Get up, Lantern."

Hal rubbed his head and stood. "Darkseid? What's that, a band?"

"Some kind of death cry. It wanted to take us with it. All to protect this...Lets get it analyzed." He picked up the box. Lantern leaped towards it. "Dont worry, I got this."

He scanned the box with his ring, but nothing came up. "How is that possible?" Bruce grit his teeth. _Extra-terrestrials. In Gotham. Not my day, is it. _He scanned it with his scanner.

"It doesnt scan like a bomb, more like an alien computer."

"Alien huh...Like those Kryptonians in Metropolis from a few months ago?"

Bruce nodded. "Maybe so."

Lantern grimaced. "You got any contacts?"

Bruce smirked. "Possibly." He grappled upwards. "Get to Washington and retrieve Wonder Woman. Im going to have a talk with a friend."

"Batman has friends?!"

Bruce felt like laughing. _You are one of them, dumbass. _But he chose wisely to only grunt. "Hmph."

They flew out of the sewer, splitting up. He called the Batwing. He had an ex-Kryptonian to meet. As he was flying, he got a call from an old friend, who had woken up from his coma...Barry Allen.

* * *

**Superman**

Clark threw the bottle of vodka at the wall. It shattered with a satisfying crunch. He smiled. He was beyond drunk. A Led Zeppelin song blared over the stereo in his room, and he could hear Martha Kent knocking on his door. "Go away, Ma!" he slurred.

"Clark Kent, you come out this instant! What in gods name are you doing in there?"

Clark grinned at the smiley face he had painted on the wall, warbling lyrics...

"_Been Dazed And Confused, for soooo long its not truuuuuue...Wanted a Woman, never bargained for youuu..." _

His hazy mind wandered over to every relationship he had ever been in, every heart he had broken. He felt an ache in his chest, the longing for company. Someone. Anyone. _The only way to staticity of the human coonsciousness is through eradication of...what was it...? eRrrr...Emotion. Yeah thats it. _He laughed out loud, smiling at nothing in particular. He loved that bittersweet emotion, that melancholic bliss that tasted like cough drops on his tongue.

His mother knocked on the door. "Open this door right now before I call your father!"

He didnt care. His father would come, ramble on about how he was a dissappointment, a failure, a disgrace for a human being. He didnt care. He would laugh at them. They would hit him, trying to make him understand that he had to be normal, but he didnt want to be. He was happy where he was. _In the Shadows. _

His friends didnt understand him, his parents were afraid of him, and he was happy that way. An exile in time. Ostracized from society. He didnt owe them anything. Yet he had saved them all anyway. Why? His damnable empathy. And what did he get for it? Not a damn thing.

He didnt want anything either. He just wanted to be left alone. He had gotten a chance, and he couldnt handle the responsibility. His parents were right, he was a failure. Bruce couldnt help him, he had responsibility, and he could live up to it. That's what made him so strong as Batman. Bruce had taken up a resolve with his parents death. He was Batman because of it.

Clark wished he could be like that. Just for once be able to do something good without hurting the people he cared about. _But look at where that made Bruce end up. Alone. _He changed to the next song, opening another bottle of vodka. He had drank one already, but needed to numb his senses. He hated overthinking everything. He HATED it. Alex Turners voice sang over a spine chilling guitar riff, and he sipped the liquid fire, feeling his bones shiver.

"_Do I wanna Know?..._

_If this feeling flows bothways..._

_Sad to see you go..._

_Was sorta hoping that you'd stay..._

_Baby we both know..._

_That the nights were mainly made for saying things that you can't say tomorrow day..."_

He sat back, the hammering on the door not irritating him in the least. He would open it when he was ready. _Karen..._He had taken her to the arctic, reprogrammed Jor-El's system so he couldnt tell her about him, and left her there, leaving the final decision up to her. He had left a vial of the Kryptonite serum with Jor-El in case she said no, but she hadnt. He was monitoring her progress, and she was growing stronger. He had taken his suit back from underneath the mile marker where he had thrown it after defeating Zod. He hid it underneath his bed, not for nostalgia, but to sate his paranoia that he might get caught. His visor he saw was currentlly being worn by Diana, as Wonder Woman. He smiled, knowing that she would never have worn it if she had known it was his. _Lois..._said a part of him, intoxicated by the buzz of alcohol. He never really thought about her, but he had always had a soft spot for Lane. They were all similar, the girls he had fallen for. Headstrong, brave, bold and beautiful. But something about Karen kept itching at him. She was different. She actually wanted him, not the other way around. But he had said no. Why? He tried to think, but the vodka had blurred his senses. He couldnt remember.

"_Crawling Back To You..._

_Ever thought of calling when..._

_You've had a few? _

_Cause I'll always do..._

_Baby Im too..._

_Busy being yours to fall for somebody new..."_

Did he love Karen? No. He didnt believe in love. _The only way to staticity of the human mind is through erad...eradi... _He sat up with a jolt as the door was forced open, a furious Jonathan Kent standing in the doorway.

"What the HELL IS THIS!?" he yelled, gesturing to the empty bottles on the floor. His eyes widened in rage and he grabbed Clark by the collar, throwing him at the wall. "IS THIS WHAT WE BROUGHT YOU UP FOR?" Clark grunted in pain, but slid down the wall slowly, curling into a ball on the floor.

His mother looked disgusted. "So this is what you've learnt from going to the city? You are a pig! You pathetic excuse for a human being!"

Clark closed his eyes on the floor, trying to hold back the tears threatening to roll out of his eyes. The song changed, and he felt tingles on his arms, a torrent of emotion about to break loose. Pink Floyd...

"_Hello...?_

_Is there anybody in there? _

_Just nod if you can hear me..._

_Is there anyone home...?"_

Jonathan kicked his back. "Get UP, You DOG! You heard what your mother said! It's true, you ungrateful wretch!" Clark smiled as he felt a tear drop hit the floor, a dam of control breaking, his emotions flowing freely. _So this is what I get for saving the world..._

He felt like laughing as he cried, dragging his body towards the corner of the room. Jonathan muttered in disgust. "Look at him, moping around like a little bitch. I feel ashamed to call you my son." Clark closed his eyes, unable to place the emotion that he felt. _You will never know what I did..._

"Get UP, you wretch, and look at me! You mope around all day doing nothing, you eat our food, you live under our house, you selfish pig! Did you ever think about us at all? This is just a motel for you, isn't it? You know, Martha, I think he would be happy if we died. After all, he thinks that we are soooo cruel to him." Jonathan spoke sardonically. "In fact, I bet if we were ever going to get run over by a bus or something, he wouldnt even save us."

Clark took shaky breaths, trying to get up, his hands quivering. _You dont know anything about me. The people that brought me up think I'm a waste of space. The people that brought me up think that I wouldnt save them. But I already have, and I would again. Not to prove anything to them. But because thats who I am. Who I strive to be. Even after all they have said to me, all the psychological torture, I will forgive them. Everyone who has ever hurt me. Because I am better than them. And that doesnt make me arrogant. It makes me strong._

He sat up on the bed and looked straight into Jonathan's eyes, who stepped back. Jonathan looked wary, as if something in the way Clark looked at him was frightening to him. And Clark knew..._People are scared of what they dont understand. _He looked into his fathers eyes and softened his expression. He stood and placed a hand on his father's shoulder. Jonathan looked up and looked ready to burst with anger. Clark smiled at him warmly, trying to convey a silent message..._I understand. And I'm sorry..._

But the older man misunderstood. He struck Clark across the face, slapping him hard enough to bruise. "Look at the AUDACITY, Martha! He's _SMILING _at me!?"

Clark let the tears fall onto his pillow, as he heard the doorbell ring. Jonathan and Martha left the room, and he quickly got up, wiping his face and peering out the window towards the main door to see who it was. _Bruce. _

He knew his parents wouldnt open the door, so he decided to take a shortcut. He gripped the sides of his window, and shimmied down the 2 floors, scraping his knees. He ran as fast as he could and tackled Bruce into the crop beside the door. They were completely hidden. He saw his parents open the door and peep outside, only to see no one was there. Jonathan, irritated, slammed the door and hollered over to his wife. "Some damn prankster kids!"

Clark let out the breath he had been holding and turned to Bruce. "What are you doing in Smallville?"

Bruce Wayne, clad in casual clothes, handed to him a box. Clark recognized it easily. It was one of the most dangerous things in the universe. Jor-El had shown him one when he was in the arctic. It was a device similar to the one Zod had used to escape the Phantom Zone, a device that could open a hole in space from one place to another. A motherbox. This one, however, had an Omega symbol cast set into it, and it was pulsating.

He explained to Bruce what it was, and by that time, he heard a roar of anger from the house. "THE DAMN KID'S GONE!" _That would be Jonathan. _Bruce raised an eyebrow. Clark waved it aside. "We had a fight. Now lets get the hell out of here, we need to be able to get this to Jor-El."

Bruce nodded, and they both turned, running through the stalks of corn towards the Batwing, parked inside the field, hidden from sight.

* * *

**Wonder Woman**

Diana was not very happy to be here. The president was keeping her waiting. She stood outside the white house, Steve Trevor next to her. They were keeping casual conversation, but Diana was growing frustrated. She did not like to be kept waiting. A small girl approached her, a broad grin on her face, and a strawberry pink ice cream in her hand. "Coool! You're Wonder Woman!"

"Indeed."

"My name's Hannah!"

"Hello, Hannah! Thank you for speaking with me. You are not afraid of me?"

The child giggled. "No, I wanna be you when I get big."

Diana grinned. "We would be great friends, Hannah."

She looked at Steve, who was smiling...That perfect smile of acting like he wasnt interested but he was so engrossed in Diana's kindness to the child. She had seen that look on only one person before, who studied her so closely. _Bruce Wayne._ The playboy billionaire was not all what he seemed to be. The last time they had talked beneath the bleachers, she had decided that she would unravel his secrets. She felt curious about him, he was a mystery she felt she had to solve. Steve was a lot like him, his attitude, his playboyish persona, and carelessly handsome good looks. The only difference was, Steve didnt feel like he was hiding something from her.

She patted Hannah's head and sent her off with a smile and a kiss on the cheek. The little girl turned red, and looked down, happy to get attention from her idol. She laughed and ran off. Diana took a deep breath and tapped her feet. _Come on...Im getting late. Im a warrior, not a damn negotiator. _

She spotted something flying towards her, and as soon as she could recognize what it was, she was face to face with Green Lantern. "Wonder Woman, we need to get back to Central City. Batsy's found something..."

"Why in Central City, Isnt Gotham Batman's area?" She asked, but her main thought was more along the lines of _Why Batman at all?_ Lantern explained to her about the boxes, and the demon that had been planting them strategically. She raised her eyebrows as Steve intervened. "That was what the President had called you about! These things have been spotted everywhere, and the president feels a mass attack is imminent."

That was all she needed to hear. She took off with a whirlwind, flying towards Central City. She reached there as quick as she could, and the first thing she noticed was a crowd of people massed around the CCPD. She landed, and they cleared out of her way. They were clearly gaping at something that had arrived at the Police Department very recently. She opened the door to Joe's office and what she saw left her jaw on the floor. It was a blur, racing around the office, sorting all the papers and cleaning the entire mess. Joe was sitting on the desk, laughing. The blur stopped, and she saw Barry Allen, awake and out of a coma, with super speed. She wanted to hug him, she was so thankful he was awake, but she realized that would compromise her identity. She saw Joe nod at her and point to Barry.

"Wonder Woman, this is my Godson, Barry Allen. He was struck by lightning 9 months ago, and he was in a coma. He woke up and he has super speed now. He wants to join your task force. I know he might be a little young for it, but he'll do fine, don't worry."

_Little young? He's just a year younger than me..._ Diana thought. She extended a hand, and Barry shook it happily. Unlike a certain Flying Rodent Man. She stifled her irritation at that memory and focused on Barry. _One of my closest friends is my new partner on the Task Force!? This is an amazing day._ She grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the lockers. "Let's get you a suit."

Barry smirked. He looked like he had that all figured out. He sped into a red friction-proof suit, designed by Cisco and Caitlin, the two people that had come with him to Central City, and Diana nodded in approval. "Alright, Barry. What's your code name?"

Barry grinned, even happier. "I am, the Flash."

Diana raised an eyebrow. "Alright, Flash, lets go find something to beat up."

She saw Lantern come into the office and look questioningly at the red suited stranger. "Uh, who's this?" Joe smiled, but didnt say anything. He was about to open his mouth when Barry intervened. "Im the Flash." He signalled to Joe to not say anything to Lantern about his identity. Joe shrugged, but then nodded reluctantly.

Lantern watched this entire event play out, and cocked his head to the side. "Whatever, _Flash. _What can you help us with? We need to find these box type things that we've gotten information from Batman about."

"Batman? Who's that?"

Lantern sighed, as Diana giggled. "Okay, kid, listen up. " Lantern told Barry the entire situation, and he seemed to catch on quick. "Soo...we find out who's planting these boxes...and then we kick their butts?"

"Err...yeah."

"Awesome, so what do we do now?"

"We wait for Batman to send us co-ordinates."

As Lantern spoke these words, Diana's comm buzzed, an transition incoming. She stepped out of the door.

"_Batman to Wonder Woman, Is this comm link functional?" _Diana gasped. "How did you get this frequency?"

"_Wonder Woman, Listen to me. You need to get the boxes out of your city. All of them. Get them too a field just south of Metropolis. I'll send you the co-ordinates. But be fast, you have Barry Allen's help. I am in the process of finding a way to stop the boxes from activating, but in a worst case scenario, you will not be able to fight the numbers that will come through the portals created."_

"So the boxes work like portals to another world?"

"_Correct."_

"Very Well then, I will inform Lantern and..._Flash, _of these developments."

"_Good..." _ There was a hitch in the other line, as if he was about to say something. She went first. "I want to apologize for what happened that day, I didn't mean to be so rude."

He didnt speak for a few moments, as if contemplating what to say. Finally, he spoke, and his voice seemed to be more cold than usual. _"There's no need for that, Wonder Woman. In our line of work, there is no room for readily making friends..." _ and with that, he closed the connection, leaving a stunned Diana to wonder what she had said to tick him off again. She could almost swear that Batman was trying to avoid her, but then why had he commed her instead of Lantern? It was confusing. She walked back into the office and told Lantern and Flash of the problem that they faced. Barry grinned and rushed out of the building, telling them to meet him at the field.

_Hera, he's fast._

She looked over at Lantern, and together, they flew out of the window, towards the city, trying to find as many boxes as they could.

* * *

**Supergirl**

Karen blasted the sheet of ice with her heat vision. It slowly melted, turning into a river of water. She scooped it in her hands and took a long draught. She had been here a month, and she had learned to use her heat vision, her super speed and strength to great lengths. She was sure she had more abilities, but she hadnt explored them yet, wanting to train properly before heading out into the real world. With Jor-El's guidance, she had become a true visage of Krypton's might.

But she still hadnt found out about her mystery person. She still had no shred of an idea as to who it was that gave her these powers. She would find out, someday, she hoped. She had thought of Clark every day. Her heart wouldnt give up on him. She didnt know why. She knew she would never understand him, she knew he would always hurt her, but she couldnt seem to get him out. He was the enigma that she wanted to unravel.

Her powers meant nothing to her compared to the thought that she wouldnt be able to touch him, to love him properly. Frustration clawed at her mind. She was tired of fighting the urge to bolt over to him across the ocean, slap him senseless, and kiss him long enough for him to change his mind. She was sure a good kiss would get him to shut up about "it wouldn't work out."

She laughed at the idea, and walked back towards the ship, her fortress of solitude. But when she reached it, her blood ran cold. There were footprints. And a ship, shaped like a bat. _Oh no...Batman._

She had seen news reports about him, she had seen what he was capable of. And inspite of her superpowers, she seemed wary. She stepped inside the ship to see a dark, armored figure speaking to Jor-El. Jor-El was saying something about motherboxes. Karen knew what those were, Zod had used one to escape the Phantom Zone. But what did Batman want with this information. She snuck up behind the dark knight, and listened more closely.

"We need to destroy all the motherboxes to prevent invasion, but how do we do this?" Batman asked.

Jor-El nodded. "These are Apokoliptan Motherboxes, They cannot be destroyed. I fear this is the work of Darkseid. If it is, then I am sorry, your world is done. He will send his son, Kalibak, to lead this invasion. He is stronger than any of you, the Green Lantern, the Themiscyran, even Kara."

At the mention of her name Kara stepped out from behind the wall. "How much time do we have before this invasion starts?"

Batman didnt even flinch.

"All the boxes in Central City have been removed. But Gotham, Metropolis, Coast City, are all in danger. We dont have much time. A Kryptonian would be of great assistance in this fight."

Kara nodded. "Then Im coming with you."

Batman looked at her for a good ten seconds. "Wear a visor, _Kara." _

She raised her eyebrows at this, but said nothing, willing the nanobots to build her a visor. They did so effortlessly, and she placed it upon her face. Batman nodded, and gestured towards the entrance of the ship, the doors sliding open with a hiss. Standing in front of them was a hooded figure, completely cloaked in a dark robe, and all she could see of his face were two eyes. She recognized those eyes. "Clark...?!"

He took the robe off slowly, he was only wearing a t-shirt and jeans. He shivered in the cold. "What the hell are you doing here!?" she asked him.

He looked at her, but it felt like he was looking right through her. Kara was freaking out. _How can he be here? WHY IS HE HERE? Has he been working with Batman? Is that why he said we couldnt be together? To protect me? God I think I want to kiss him even more, even though he's almost pretending I dont exist._

"Karen...I'm sorry, I didnt want you to find out like this. I have been working with Batman for the last few years. I dont think you will understand my decisions, but know that they were for the greater good." His voice was tight, as if he didnt want to betray any emotions. She smiled sadly and nodded, trying to steel herself for what she had to say next. "Well, you should be happy now, Kent, It won't work out between us anyway. I could crush you like a twig."

Clark looked at her strangely, almost amused, but then grinned. Kara wanted to leap into his arms and beg him to make it work anyway, to ask him to kiss her atleast once before she destroyed her feelings for him. She smiled tightly. He and Batman got into the plane, and she sat right next to Clark. He didnt seem to mind.

"So, Kara Zor-El huh."

"Yeah. But I dont know if that's the coolest superhero name..."

"How about...**Supergirl?**" He looked as if he had been waiting to say that for a while. Karen beamed. "That sounds perfect."

Batman piloted the plane at supersonic speeds, looking to get to the field as fast as he could. It took about an hour, and it was torturously pleasurable for her. She tried her hardest not to look at Clark, who had fallen silent. When they finally set down in the field, she looked over at him, and had a mini heart attack. He was sick, and obviously so. And it didnt seem to be motion sickness either. He looked near dead, as if his body was fighting him from the inside. This sudden change scared her to the core. She picked him up effortlessly and jumped out of the plane, zooming towards Metropolis city. She registered passing by three figures in the middle of the field, one was green, one was red, and the other was an armoured Amazon. _Green Lantern and Wonder Woman._ She couldnt recognize the red one though.

She ignored that fact and left Batman to explain the situation to them. She reached a Metropolis Hospital and handed him over, not paying attention to the stares she was recieving because of her suit. She bit her lip while rushing back, hoping that he would be alright. The motherboxes would open at any time, and they would be in-

_**BOOM. **_

A massive noise rippled throughout the Metropolis air. She reached the field just in time to see the motherboxes open, and a rift in space created. Her four companions didnt even regard one another, and prepared for battle. Batman clicked a few buttons on his arm computer as Green Lantern held his ring out in front of him, determined to wreak havoc upon the forces of Apokolips. She saw Wonder Woman draw her sword, a grim expression on her face. The red suited figure knelt on the ground, as if he would run directly into the forces. She took her stance, pushing down on the ground, ready to launch forward. She heard an unearthly scream, and the first demon came through the portal.

* * *

**A/N- I hope you liked this chapter, It took a damn long time to write. So...next chapter we get to see some action, BM/WW fighting together, and Clark Kent waking up in a hospital, super sick. Or is it something else?**

**Songs I mentioned (Great songs btw, you should listen to them)- Dazed And Confused- Led Zeppelin, Do I Wanna Know?- Arctic Monkeys, Comfortably Numb- Pink Floyd.**

**So any thoughts/ideas/comments on what should be in the next chapter? **

**I really hope you liked this one as it took a lot out of me...**

**So...Finally, If you want faster updates, REVIEWWWWWWW!**

**MORE REVIEWS=FASTER UPDATES.**

**Im not being a review whore, I'll update anyway, but more reviews motivate me to write faster.**

**Next chapter- Multiple POV's, like this one. **


	38. Chapter 37- Gods Among Us

**A/N- The fight begins! And ends! XD. Hope you like it! Thank you for reviewing DDLo18, ALEKILE, Nightmare Rose13, CrazyPhenom, TheMcCOY, 2 guests and David. **

**Idk why I just like the name David. Its such a cool name dude! **

**Anyway thanks for reviewing! Please leave a review for this chapter as well! **

* * *

**Chapter 37- GODS AMONG US**

**Wonder Woman **

Diana let out a mighty roar as she dived at the first demon flying through the portal. She jumped on its face and tore its jaws open with a brutal savagery that had the others wide eyed. The beast fell to the ground. She turned towards the portals, momentarily wondering if maybe that would be all. She was wrong. She heard another wail, and there was an outpour of monsters. She gasped, and fell back, as one climbed on top of her gnashing at her face with its jaws.

She was about to gut it with her sword when she saw a black winged object fly into the monster. It screeched, and turned. There was a beeping sound, and the object exploded. Diana got to her feet in no time, and nodded a thanks to Batman, who had thrown the batarang. He said nothing, only nodding and turning to face the onslaught. She stood for a moment, watching the dark knight fight. She nodded in appreciation, he was a skillful warrior. His techniques seemed to be a mix of several fighting styles, as well as integrating his arm blades and technology to become a deadly weapon. He had no powers, yet he was fighting among the rest of them.

She looked around, and was in awe at the sight that beholded her. They were actually holding the breach! No citizen of Metropolis was going to be hurt today. She saw Lantern inside a glowing green mech suit, blowing up dozens of monsters at a time. She saw Barry racing about, using his speed to good measure, keeping the stray ones that were escaping the reach of the others in line. She flew upwards, and sliced their wings, taking care that they didnt escape. _Even one of these would be enough to annihalate Metropolis. _She caught one by the neck, throwing it into the others. With a grunt of satisfaction, she elbowed another as it tried to claw her arm.

She threw her sword at one that seemed to be the farthest off. It landed in its back, and it wailed in pain. Diana flew forward, but was caught from behind. The demon scratched her arm, breaking its claws in the process, but still hurting her. She was about to punch its head off, when a laser decapitated it, and it went limp. Glancing down, she saw the girl who had come in with Batman, who was wearing Blue and Red, with an _**S **_in the middle of her chest. She smiled at Diana, and continued to fire heat from her eyes at the demons. _Shes strong..._

The onslaught slowed down, the monsters coming out in lesser numbers. Batman leaped around, planting bombs on three of the demons. They exploded, and Lantern withdrew from his mech suit apparition. "Well that seemed like the last of them..."

Batman shook his head. "No. They are here for a reason, not just to fight us all. They are after a codex with the blueprint for Kryptonian genes. Whoever is behind this attack wants a superpowered army."

Diana caught one of the monsters and stabbed through its heart, viciously removing her sword. "What are Kryptonians?" Barry slowed down to ask.

"They were an alien species, highly advanced and genetically superior to any other race in the galaxy in the presence of a yellow sun."

Diana frowned. "What do you mean, _were? _They were in Metropolis a few months ago._"_

Green Lantern intervened. "They vanished after I deactivated their terraforming machine."

Batman cocked his head to the side, and Diana tried to focus on what he was saying rather than his strong jawline. "Well whoever is behind this attack knows that the last Kryptonian is here on Earth."

Diana thought of the alien boy that the President had told her the Kryptonians were after. _Could these demons be looking for him? _She looked at Lantern, and asked him, "Weren't they looking for a boy? Those Kryptonians? Is it possible that these monsters are looking for him as well?"

Diana could have sworn she saw Batman visibly tense. He looked at her darkly. She felt an odd sensation creep down the back of her neck, a chill that made her clench her teeth. "That's not what they are after. They want the Codex, the gene blueprint to Kyptonian DNA. They want Supergirl."

_Supergirl? Who's Super-_ Diana "Ohh"-ed and looked at the girl with the _**S. **_"So, they want your blood?" she asked.

That made Supergirl irritated. "Dont try and protect me, I can handle myself..." Diana raised an eyebrow, and she muttered something under her breath. Diana rolled her eyes and turned to Lantern. "Can you find a way to close these portals before whoever's behind this attack comes looking for trouble? If these are just the soldiers, the one in charge might be even stronger..."

Lantern frowned, trying to think. "I'm not sure we can..."

Diana's heartbeat stopped as she heard a dark laugh from behind her. A deep sense of dread numbed her arms as she turned to face the portals. There was a giant standing in the front of the portal, several parademons clinging to his sides. The giant had a worn out, tired face, a strong beard and dark, maniacal eyes. He was armored from neck to toe in pale green armour, an Omega burned into the chest of the armor. In his hand was a golden club, and the giant carried it effortlessly. He pointed it towards Supergirl. Smiling evily, he spoke. "Ravage the Kryptonian's corpse and bring me the Codex."

Diana backed up a few steps to regroup. The four of them took stances in front of Supergirl, guarding her, much to her great irritation. _Well what do you know...Batman was right...They are here for her blood. _She gritted her teeth and prepared to meet the enemy, spinning her sword.

* * *

**Superman**

Clark could see the battle happening on the Television in front of him. He was awake in his hospital bed, unable to move. The doctors said his body had shut down, reacting strongly to an unknown substance in his bloodstream. He knew exactly what it was, Kryptonite. It was inhibiting his Kryptonian genes, but it was killing his blood cells. He was sick, and had barely an hour to live. That's what they had predicted, but he was sure that something big would happen before then. If he had only an hour to live, he wanted something good to happen in that hour.

He watched as Karen, Hal, Bruce and Diana fought against the parademons from Apokolips. He also noticed a red blur amongst them, but he blinked and it was gone. He didnt like not knowing what it was. He saw the giant waiting patiently by, not doing anything as news helicopters swirled around the area. Clark felt like yelling at them to get the hell out of there, but they couldnt hear him even if hr did. It was pointless and stupid for the news reporters to put themselves in such danger. But they were the only reason Clark could see what was going on, so he wasnt complaining much.

There was a sharp intake of breath as he saw the Giant smile, prepared to fight. He saw Karen yell out and charge at the hairy behemoth. It snarled, and swatted Karen away like a mosquito. She fell a considerable distance from the battlefield, not moving. Clark gripped the sides of his bed tight enough to make his knuckles go white. He saw a parademon moving to pick Karen up. _NO! If they get her DNA, we wont be able to stop them!_

But he was powerless. He could do nothing. Paralyzed, inhibited by mental and physical shackles, he felt his life force ebb away. He felt like crying, but his eyes were dry. His body felt like it was on fire, a buzzing sensation rushing through his blood. Like poison. It burned, it stung him, but all he could do was watch his friends suffer a similar fate.

The parademon picked up Karen, but Bruce downed it with a batarang. The Dark Knight signalled the others to form a circle around her. Clark began to breathe shallow, hoping his friends fight would end before his own. He groaned out loud as a spasm passed through him, and he tasted blood in his mouth. Only it wasnt normal blood. He could taste it, and it tasted like dirt. It was gritty and bitter. He felt more come up as his body jerked again, forcing him to sit up. His head spun at the sudden motion, and he was disorientated. He staggered, hands shaking and vision blurry.

_A door? _He blinked, but couldnt focus. He moved towards the open air coming into the room. He breathed it in and his headache lessened, but that caused another spasm. He lurched out, screaming in pain, but his vocal chords wouldn't obey. He moved towards the air coming into the room, hoping it was a door. He spat on the floor, and saw the substance in his mouth was his blood indeed, but it was green. And glowing. _Kryptonite...it did something to my body..._

He staggered, unable to keep the stars in front of his eyes away. He dived towards the opening in a last attempt and promptly fell through a window. His last thought as he hit the pavement several floors below was _"Okay...so that WASNT a door." ..._

He blacked out.

* * *

**Batman**

"Form a circle around Supergirl, We cant let them get her." Batman backed off from the parademon, and kicked it in the neck, swirling around to the others. He had Supergirl behind him, unconscious. The Giant had hit her _hard. _Wonder Woman landed next to him and drew her lasso. She turned towards him and smirked. "Duck, Bat."

He fell backwards on his elbows as she swung the golden rope around and forced it to encompass the advancing troops. She held them neatly and backflipped over, decapitating them all. Their heads fell to the ground with a thunk. The teenage part of Bruce's mind whistled._ Woah...gotta get a vixen like that grounded quick. She's a fiery one. _Then the Batman retaliated against his hormones. _Get ahold of yourself, their leader looks irked. _He looked at the giant, who was towering over Flash, who was managing to evade the giant swinging his club. That club looked like it could seriously break someone. It was four feet long and had a spike at the end. Batman glanced at Wonder Woman.

"We need to get that club away, we can't all attack him together if he swings that about."

Even in the midst of a battle, her voice came out deep and throaty. "Sounds like a plan."

He clenched his teeth and motioned for Lantern to guard Supergirl. Hal chose to create a metal safe around Karen on the ground. Bruce wasnt happy about that. It was a stupid way to protect her, but it worked.

He ran full throttle towards the giant, who spun around to face him. He was about to ram into Bruce with his club when he was punched in the back by Flash. Batman took advantage of the distraction to throw an explosive batarang at the giants face. It exploded, and it seemed disorientating. But after blinking a few times, it snarled at Bruce. "**How dare you, Mortal, I am Kalibak, General of the forces of Apokolips, Servant of the Overlord of Death, DARKSEID.**"

_Darkseid. So he's the one in charge. Well, time to gauge this...Kalibak's weak points. _He jumped off of a parademons back, gliding while using his cape to seem larger and intimidate him. The giant swung his club at him, but he rolled out of the way midair, landing near his feet. He used his arm blades to slice his legs, but Kalibak had thick skin. Bruce was hoisted midair effortlessly, and was choked by a massive fist. He fired a tazer directly at his opponents eyes, and heard roaring behind him as he scrambled out of the way. He saw the giant drop its club.

He threw another batarang which exploded, and knocked Kalibak back. "Wonder Woman, The club!" Lantern yelled out. Bruce saw Diana rush towards him, lifting the club and spinning it around. She let go of it with a yell and it flew away, out of sight.

Kalibak roared and charged towards them, but was hit in the side by a red/blue blur. He fell a few feet away, face in the ground. Karen smiled and raised her eyebrow at Diana and Bruce. "You're welcome!" she beamed. Lantern landed next to her, and Flash raced over. "Looks like they're retreating?"

Batman shook his head. "No. They are falling back. Kalibak is about to do something big. Prepare yourselves."

Kalibak pushed himself up, and stomped on the ground angrily. "**You do not have enough POWER. You cannot STOP ME. I will BEND YOU to Darkseid's will." **He laughed menacingly and raised his arm above his head. He brought it downwards with a swoop and the parademons fired a gooey substance from their mouths. Hal created a force field and blocked the tar-like substance. He let it down and frowned, unimpressed. Batman tensed. _Something's not right. _Kalibak was smiling.

The gooey substance seeped into the earth, and Bruce felt something pierce his arm. A bit of the goop entered his skin, and he felt it worming its way to his heart. "Get away from the ground. NOW!" he yelled. Supergirl jumped up, grabbing a parademons leg. Lantern sheilded himself, and flew up. Flash bolted away from the dark earthy area. But Diana was too late. He felt his arm quivering in pain, and he saw her enveloped in the goo, struggling to breathe.

Anger surged through his senses as he sped towards Kalibak. The Giant laughed. "**You can do nothing, Mortal. She will become another pawn in Darkseid's army. And so will you. You cannot stop the emotions being drained out of you, all sentience being destroyed, and the suffering..." **Kalibak's malevolent smile at his apparent victory infuriated Bruce even more.

The Dark Knight slid through Kalibak's feet, planting remote detonators on his ankles. He flipped upwards and used his heat gloves to burn Kalibak's back. Roaring in pain, the giant grabbed him. He pressed the button and the bombs went off, knocking the giant to the ground, blasting his ankles. Lantern came to his aid with a hammer, and brought it down on Kalibak's face. The giant roared, and tried to get up, but Supergirl landed on his legs, stomping them as hard as she could. He turned around and punched her, but she blocked the blow, crossing her arms.

Lantern went for seconds as he used a giant fist to pick Kalibak up and toss him into the portal. The giant grabbed on to the edge of the swirling vortex contraption. "**You cannot stop it. Soon, your friends will be servant's of Darkseid, and the codex will come to us." **Flash ran back a few hundred metres, and smirked. "Not if we have anything to say about it." There was a resounding crackle of thunder as the Flash streaked across the field, punching Kalibak into the portal. The vortexes hissed, as if running out of power, and then faded.

There was a collective whoop from Lantern, Supergirl and Flash. They all high fived, exuberant. Batman went over to Diana, who was glowing an odd blue, lying on the ground. She groaned repeatedly as if in pain, and then sat up. "What...what happened to me?"

Hal explained what was going to happen once the process was complete, and Diana's eyes became as wide as saucers when she realized she only had hours to live. A day at best. She gasped, and backed away from the group. "I...I need to...Dont come looking for me" She soared into the air, biting her lip. Bruce felt his heart twist, but kept his face stoic. "Lantern, get to Oa, see if they have a solution for this. Flash, the parademon army has left the streets in a panic...I need you to explain to the people what events just transpired here. Do not come looking for me." The two of them nodded darkly, giving one last look at Batman before rushing away. The last look on their faces was an obvious one. _What are you made of, Dark Knight...t_heir eyes seemed to ask.

Bruce grimaced, a shooting pain going up his arm. Karen frowned. "And Me...?"

"Find Clark. He can stop this."

"Clark?! But...but how? He's just a kid...!"

"Just GO, damnit!"

Supergirl gritted her teeth, but streaked away nevertheless. Bruce jumped in the plane, holding his arm tightly.

* * *

**Superman**

_There are boundaries between man and god..._

_What makes us go down in history is not what we have done for this world, but whether our actions are dramatic enough. Hitler is remembered. Attila the Hun. Josef Stalin. There have been many bad men throughout human history. What is it that makes you feel you are different from them?_

_You have suffered? So did they. They lived, loved, lost. But why are they remembered as bad men? They tried to act god. To quell the force of human nature. That is what they attempted to do. Given a choice, would you stop them if you could? Is it your decision, if they truly feel they are right? Who are we to decide who is right and wrong? _

_Their actions decided for them. They suffered, they lost like anyone else. What did they become? Monsters. They tried to force the world to change. But this world doesnt want to change. You cannot force it. But you can become something greater inspite of it. The world tests us. _

_But what we become, is a testament to our strength. If one believes one is a god, they are not. To become a god is to have seen pain and loss, and to be kind despite of it. Great men are forged in fire. Gods, perhaps. _

_I am not this way because of my pain, I am this way inspite of it._

Clark's eyes opened, and he felt vitality return to his senses. The long forgotten cacophony of sounds soothed his ears like nostalgic waves on the edge of his mind. He breathed the air, he felt the Earth. It was _alive..._. He was one with it.

He closed his eyes, letting the sensation wash over him. The feeling of insecurity vanished and he felt complete again. He was hope once more.

He stood up, wearing the tattered hospital robes, and dug his heels into the ground. The ground shook as he raced towards Smallville.

* * *

**A/N- Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it!**

**Diana is infected with parademon ooze, and so's Batman...I wonder what this leads to...? Any guesses? Yep, Batman/ Wonder Woman. IN the next chapter! So much interactionnnn.**

**Hmmm...So let me know what you think of this chapter...Clark's got his powers back. But HOW you may ask? Wellll, leave me a message or a review for the guess, and I'll let you know if you're on the right track. ;)**

**Anyway, 50 Follows! Yes! Thats more than I EVER expected for my first story here. You guys rock!**

**Next chapter- Supes' POV, A lot of BM/WW drama/setup. Supergirl/Lantern are going to be outta the picture for a couple of chapters. Also, we get to see what Lord DARKSEID thinks of Kalibak's failure. **

**PLEASE REVIEW! IF I CAN GET 15 REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER I'LL MAKE HAL AND DIANA REVEAL THEIR IDENTITIES TO BRUCE SOONER, ADDING EXTRA DRAMA FOR BM/WW. It'll be GREAT! PLEASSSE REVIEW, I LOVE REVIEWS! I THANK ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE READ THIS FAR AS WELL! YOU ARE AWEsomE! I bless you so that your tv volume will always be on a multiple of 5! (Lol OCD'ness. Is that just me...?).**

**But seriously, you guys are the best. **


	39. Chapter 38- Flight

**A/N- Another long chapter! :) Superman being Superman. This is my favourite chapter so far, and you'll see why. (Pssst, the entire second half is BM/WW ;) )**

**Thank you for reviewing Nightmare Rose13 ( Batduck ftw ;) ), LOTSlover, DDLo18, Bluehulk45, savanatta1 and Two guests. I didn't quite get the 15 reviews I asked for, so no reveal in this chapter, sorry :P **

**But BM/WW! Quite a bit of it too! I hope you like it!**

* * *

**Chapter 38-** **Flight**

Clark stepped into the fortress. His powers regained, it had been a simple matter to get his suit and the cape from his room. He was in and out in seconds. The last time he had been to the fortress it had taken him seven hours with super speed, but this time around he had taken half an hour. His abilities were ramped up to extreme levels, and he was stronger than ever. His skin felt like he was burning. The pain in his bones was gone, the Kryptonite all out of his system.

He had his suspicions about how that happened, but he had to confirm with Jor-El. He waved his hand and the hologram appeared. "Kal-El. This is unexpected."

"Don't beat about the bush. You know why I'm here. The Kryptonite didn't work."

Clark knew that it was just a projection of consciousness, but it looked positively radiant. He shifted uneasily. "Your cells were half human. They rejected the Kryptonite, causing immunity towards the effects of Krypton's atmosphere. They were burned out during the process, rendering your genes completely Kryptonian. You are now the last Son."

Clark frowned. "There is no way to reverse this...?"

Jor-El shook his head. "You were meant to be the bridge between two peoples. You were the embodiment of the belief that humanity could become something greater. You can give them hope. You can show them what they must strive towards... The people of Earth will race behind you. They will stumble. They will fall. But in time, they will join you in the Sun, Kal. In time, you'll help them achieve wonders."

"I never wanted this...how many times have I told you?"

"You are as much a child of Krypton now as you are of Earth. You can embody the best of both worlds. Embody the symbol of the house of El." Jor-El moved his armour from his chest, to reveal the _**S **_underneath. Clark felt tingles on his arm. A shiver of power ran through his body. The mere sight of the symbol stirred something in his heart that he had forced away for years. The will to be a hero. He had denied his wish for years, knowing that he would never be able to be one. Now he had gotten a second chance, and he didnt know how to feel about it. He was about say something to Jor-El, but the doors hissed, opening slowly. He rushed behind a wall, cursiing his luck. _Karen just had to show up now..._

She strode into the fortress, a hard look on her face. "Jor-El. I need this ship's technological assistance. I need to locate Clark Kent."

Clark clenched his teeth, crossing his fingers. _Come on...Dont tell her..._

Jor-El nodded. "Why do you need this...Clark Kent's help?"

Karen's features darkened. "Batman and Wonder Woman have been infected by Apokoliptian blood. They are becoming parademons as we speak. And there is no way to stop the process, but the bloody bat seems to think Clark can change that. Bloody fool."

"Have you looked for him?"

"I searched everywhere, but its like he vanished. I left him at Metropolis hospital an hour ago, but when I went back there, the nurses said he vanished."

Clark closed his eyes. _I need to find a solution for this, fast. _

He motioned to another hologram to get Karen out of the fortress. Jor-El looked miffed, but he complied. "Kara, are you sure that he isnt in Metropolis? This ship does not have the technology to find one human."

Kara huffed, "Jor-El, I need him as well. He would know what to do in my place."

Clark felt the air run out of his lungs as he realized Karen truly had feelings for him. He was tempted to reveal himself, but decided to be patient. Jor-El said nothing, and looked downwards. Karen stormed out in a huff. "You think just because he's human he cant help us?! Well, news flash! BATMAN is human as well!" Jor-El kept silent as she boosted away from the fortress.

Clark stepped around from his hiding spot. Jor appeared to take a deep breath. "You shouldn't hide this from her, Kal. You put her in her position, it is not right that you hide this from her."

"I will tell her. Eventually. She needs to be ready. I need to be sure **I am ready as well. **Give me the codex. I need what's left of the key." Jor-El gestured to the wall, where the command key was kept. Clark reached to remove it, but let Jor-El say one last thing...

"You've grown stronger here than I ever could have imagined..."

Clark stepped out on the ice, cape billowing in the wind. His suit clung to his skin, revitalizing his perception and feel of the air. He could see the world, he could see the tiniest life form, the beauty that is in the very fabric of the earth. _If they could see the world through my eyes, to see the things I have seen, they would be able to understand..._

He looked up towards the sky, the sun tickling his face. "The only way of knowing how strong...Is to _keep...pushing...your...limits." _He saw the shadow of a cloud pass in front of his face, and his muscles tensed in anticipation. He forced his foot on the ground and launched himself upwards, sailing through the air.

His cape fluttered behind him as he landed on the ground in a crack of thunder. He propelled himself up again with a grunt, flying through the air with an arc. Like a projectile launched from a cannon, he soared, letting out a whoop of exuberance as he felt a moment where gravity failed to pull him downwards.

He laughed, pushing forwards through the wind. A jetstream blew past him, shaking his hands. _Oh shi..._ He lost control, spiralling towards the ground. He blasted into a mountain of ice, straight through the sheets. Landing was not a smooth process, as he rolled into the hard rock, tumbling like a thrown tennis ball.

He groaned, blinking his senses back to normal. _Still need to get used to the damn super hearing and super sight..._

He lifted himself out of the hole and stood up straight, looking up towards the sun. _Strength is measured by willpower. The willpower to make a difference. That difference which can only be made through unity. To unify the world is to give them hope, a pillar of strength, an ideal. The symbol on my chest, The symbol which will come to mean more than just hope. This is the first step to something I have finally gotten the chance to do. I cannot mess this up. _

_One day the world will look up to me and see more than just an ideal. They will see me as one of them. An equal. And I will never stop fighting for that day to come. The day when dreams are dreams no more..._

He kneeled onto the ground, letting one fist touch the earth. A sensation unlike any other he had ever felt before went through his body. The air was alive, the ground shaking with energy. Pebbles by his feet began to quiver. The earth bent, as if preparing to release all that stress in one outburst.

He pressed down on the ground, tensing his muscles for springing. He grit his teeth and pushed off with a yell.

There was a resounding **BOOM **as the ground beneath him cracked in a neat star, branching off from his point of launch. He rocketed through the air, gaining altitude rapidly. He pushed forwards, turning his flight towards Gotham. He could not control the smile that was plastered onto his face. He had second-guessed, messed up, and rejected his powers, but he realized now that they were a gift. A gift to help mankind. And the first thing he had to do was stop Diana and Bruce from turning into demons. He didn't need super-strength for that, he knew what had to be done.

He spread his arms out and glided downwards, allowing the salty sea air to tickle his face. His suit had damaged during takeoff, and it seemed irreparable. It had torn around the seam, his chest now causing it to cling too tightly. _Too bad..._he thought as he did a loop through the rocky formations of the South American mountains. _I needed a new suit anyway. The red underwear needs to go. It looks much too corny..._

He soared straight up, letting his arms fall to his sides as he saw the view from above the clouds. _I bet Hal and Diana don't appreciate this as much as they should. I should get Jor-El to teach Karen...No, __**Kara, **__how to fly. _He resolved to do so as soon as he took care of the pressing issue of his friends' conditions.

He shot through the air, faster than a speeding bullet. He grinned, his cheek muscles hurting, unable to stretch anymore. The air turned foggy around him and he felt his body tighten as the moisture rippled around him like a fabric. There was a sonic boom, and the rush of sound roared throughout the valley he was flying over.

* * *

**Gotham**

He landed with a smooth motion, gliding into the batcave. His cape rippled behind him like velvet as he touched down smoothly next to Bruce. The billionaire philanthropist seemed to be engrossed in studying a blood sample. Clark waited until he was done. Still wearing the Bat-armour,Batman looked up to see the torn suit Clark had on.

"So. Its back to red and blue..."

"Bruce, I know how to fix this." He held out the codex, a few last vestiges of power still inside of it. "Let me help you."

"NO, Kent. I will not be metasized."

"This isn't for powers. The codex can recalibrate your genes, expulse the Apokoliptian infection from your blood." He held it out towards Bruce. "This WILL work. Just trust me." He grabbed his arm and thrust the key onto a spot a few centimeters above the wound. Batman clenched his teeth in pain, as the codex extracted the ooze. It burned the **S** symbol into his arm, but it faded as the black tar fell out of the open wound. He looked at his clear arm and raised an eyebrow. There were no marks on his skin.

Clark shrugged sheepishly. "Yeah...You can still see the **S **if you look hard enough."

Batman squinted, and noticed that he was right. The faded symbol was visible, but unnoticable unless you knew what to look for.

"You need to get to Diana. Fast."

Clark steeled himself for what he was about to say next. "That the thing, Bruce. It only had enough power for one. I can't help her. But you can. What this ooze does is, it fights the humanity within us. It seeps to our nerves and kills our emotions, turning us into monsters. Now Diana is no normal human. She is an Amazon. Her body will be fighting the ooze as we speak. But it can only hold out for so long. You need to keep her feeling. Keep her angry, happy, sad...Whatever, It doesnt matter. But as long as she can feel emotion, her body will continue to fight. Until I find another source for the codex, you have to keep her from becoming one of the beasts she so mercilessly slaughtered."

Batman frowned, not wasting a moment. He quickly removed his armour pieces and jumped into the batplane. Clark smiled sadly, watching his friend go after the girl he was to stubborn to admit he cared about. The batplane powered up and zoomed out of the cave.

He took a deep breath and boosted upwards, cracking the floor of the cave. He had to get to Diana before Bruce. He had something to do...

* * *

**Earth- Diana's House. **

He knocked on her door, hoping she wouldnt kick him out. Diana opened the wooden framed doorway and stood sassily,hands on her hips. She was trying to act all cool and perfect, but there was clearly something wrong with her. The parademon ooze was seeping into her veins from the top of her right hand, staining them black. "What are you doing here, Kent?"

He scratched the back of his head cheekily, hoping he could pull off the innocent act. He had thrown his suit in the dumpster by her house, and had worn a shabby jacket and jeans he had nicked from her neighbours house, who dried their clothes on lines in their front yard. He was going to give the clothes back, obviously, but for now, he had something to do.

"Ummm...Yeah. Diana, I was wondering if you know where Hal or Bruce is?"

"No, why the hell would I?"

He scrunched his nose in fake disappointment. "Oh...thats okay though...Hey. How about a truce? I know you always thought I was a creepy stalker guy, but I'm not. I just wanted you to know that I won't be bothering you from now on..."

Diana looked skeptical. "Ohhkayyyy..."

He stretched out his hand for a handshake and she cautiously shook his hand.

"OW! What the hell was that? Did you just joybuzz me?" She waved her hand about, shaking it in pain. Clark frowned, but took the distraction as an opportunity. Diana looked down at her hand, and he streaked away silently.

* * *

**Earth- The Park.**

Clark sat in the tree, perched on the tallest branch, one leg hanging off towards the side. He looked down and saw Diana sitting on the park bench beneath him. He smirked and looked to the winding path. Walking towards her was Bruce Wayne.

Clark was being a total creep, and he knew it, but he had to make sure that things fell into place. Hal was on Oa, Barry and Karen were at Metropolis, one doing Crowd Control work and the other searching for Clark Kent. The only ones here were Bruce and Diana. He used his super hearing to listen to the conversation.

Bruce reached by her bench and looked at her, the playboy smile on full power. "Mind if I sight down, milady?"

Diana shrugged. "Do whatever you want, Wayne."

Bruce sat down next to her, and Clark could clearly see this was agony for him. _Come on...keep her feeling. _

The flirtatious smile popped out again. "So, Baby...what's going on? I heard you and Halle Berry broke up? What happened there?" _Oooh he's trying to make her sad. Nice one, Batass. _

Diana didnt say anything, but just scowled. "Dont talk about that. If you want to talk about that, then piss off, egotist."

Bruce faked apprehension, and spoke out timidly. "I'm sorry...It's just...you look sick...Are you okay, Diana?"

She looked up at Bruce, and Clark could see her eyes water up a bit. She bit her lip and looked away, about to lose her control. Bruce waited a minute, until after that she finally spoke. Her voice was throaty and hollow, like a scratchy record. "Do you know about the attacks that happened in Metropolis a few hours ago?"

Bruce nodded. Clark stifled a laugh. _He was there, for god sakes! _

Diana continued, her voice monotonous. "I was there...I had gone to Metropolis to...to meet my Mother. She works there now."

Clark snorted. _Oh does she, now? _Bruce simply nodded again.

"I...I was attacked by one of the creatures. It infected me with its blood. It bit my arm, and now I'm going to die...Im going to turn into one of them...It removes all emotions, all of my humanity...

I don't even know why I'm telling YOU this. I've spent a lot of time feeling nothing but hate for you. But I guess in the end, that doesn't matter. Emotions are over-rated. Isn't that what your "buddy" Clark says all the time?"

_Ohhh no...No no no. Bruce keep her talking..._

"You can't just _give up! _You have an entire life to live! You know what, show me the wound. Maybe I can transfer the ooze to myself."

"Why would you..." she looked moved.

"Because I wouldn't want you to die." Bruce held her hand, and Clark could see her stiffen at the contact. "Why are you doing this all of a sudden? What makes you think I want you to suffer the same fate?!"

"You told me what will happen to you..."

"And you think you can hold out longer?! Are you crazy? YOU? You are a cold heartless bastard. How many hearts you've broken in your playboy activities...Why are you trying to help me all of a sudden?"

"It's the right thing to do." Clark could see Diana's defences begin to crumble, as she saw a glimpse of the real Bruce Wayne, the selfless Knight of Justice.

"Why do you think that I would ever transfer this pain to you?!"

Bruce let go of her hand and looked away from her, gazing at the sun. "Well...we both know. We both know that I'll last longer than you."

"Again, WHAT makes you think that?"

_Oh...he's going to do it...Come on Bruce..._

"It'll take longer for me because...You know why..."

"No I don't"

"Diana, our so called friendship...Its entirely predicated on the fact that I care more about you than you care about me. Just give me your arm!"

"What the **HELL **is that supposed to mean, Wayne? You think that I dont give a crap about you? Well, listen up, dumbass! I care about everyone. And I wouldnt force anyone to bear this burden!"

"Is that so, little miss perfect?" Bruce said spitefully. "Well I'm not asking. I'm going to do it anyway, And I don't give a damn whether you allow me too or not. You were always different from the other girls I played with. I never would've hurt you. But I don't think that even matters right now, does it? Because you are so hell bent on _dying._"

"I...I can't do this to you. You don't expect me to believe that you actually care about me...because you don't. This is just another one of your games. You will end up dead and that will be my burden to bear! What you dont seem to understand is I DONT WANT YOUR HELP! I DONT WANT YOUR CHARITY!" She had gotten up now, and was yelling at him. Clark gripped the branch tightly, waiting for Bruce to say something.

"Diana...Just give me your arm. I wouldnt be able to live with myself if I knew that you died like this..." he said cryptically. The undertone was easily readable. _I wouldnt be able to live with myself knowing that you died because of my incompetence. _Clark rolled his eyes. _The moron blames himself for her condition..._

Diana looked at Bruce sadly. "Bruce, thank you, but I wont allow it. You...as much as I hate to admit it, you are one of my closest friends. I cant do this to you."

Up in the tree, Clark smiled.

Bruce stood up and grabbed her hand before she was about to turn away. "Diana, I'm sorry." He pulled her hand with a vice grip and examined the wound. He was about to place a finger on the cut to extract the black liquid, when his eyes widened as he saw something on her hand. Bruce could see it, but it was at an angle that Diana could not. Clark could almost hear him mentally swear. _Clark Kent you son of a..._

It was an **S, **surrounded by a diamond, a mark from where Clark had burnt her with the Codex.

"Diana...you are going to be fine by tomorrow..."

"How do you...?"

She looked at her hand and saw the blackness in her veins had faded, they were turning a dull grey. She gasped in delight. "This is amazing!"

Bruce nodded as well, smiling. "Looks like you didn't need my help."

Diana blushed and looked down. "You offered to save my life. That means a lot to me, Bruce. Thank you...I'm sorry for being a jerk."

Bruce waved it off, and smirked. "I'll think of a way to get back at you."

Diana cheekily smiled, a mischievous expression causing her eyes to twinkle. "How about if I make it up to you..." she bit her lip, blushing.

Bruce raised an eyebrow. She looked at him, eyes dancing, and leaned forwards. Pecking him on the cheek, she beamed and poked his chest. Bruce froze, and Clark was laughing so hard he thought he might fall off his perch.

Diana turned and elegantly strode away, turning back to look at Bruce once. "See you around, badboy..."

Bruce blinked as he watched her go. When she was out of range, he looked up at Clark. _Oh crap. Of course he knew I was there. _He jumped off his tree, 50 feet above Bruce's head, and landed on the ground.

"You said there wasn't enough power for a second use, Kent."

"Well, I lied, _Wayne." _Clark smirked.

"Why didn't you just tell her."

Clark straightened the collar of the jacket he had "borrowed". He smirked and raised his eyebrows at Bruce. He received a dark look in return. Chuckling softly, he turned away, digging his heels into the ground.

"You might want to call Lantern, Flash and Supergirl for a rendezvous, let them know you and Wondy are alright. There's a bigger attack imminent and we need to be prepared. Darkseid will not take this defeat lightly. This attack was just the beginning... Train them well, and make sure you don't get into too much trouble. I have to take care of something" _Like finding out how to stop Darkseid from planting more Motherboxes. _

He cocked his head to the right and smirked at an irked Bruce. "See you around, badboy..."

He pushed into the ground, rocketing towards the fortress.

* * *

**A/N- Well THAT was FUN. I love writing Clark's POV's. He's such a diverse character. I'm stillll kind of deciding whom he should be with though. Any suggestions? Karen? Lois? Someone else...?**

**Let me know what you thought of the chapter... :)**

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**(10-REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER=IDENTITY REVEAL IN THE NEXT ONE!) **

**COME ON GUYS, YOU CAN DO IT!**

**Everyone who has read this, You are awesome.**

**Next chapter- Green Lantern comes back to Earth, there is a meeting between heroes, and awkwardness in school between the gang. GL POV. **


	40. Chapter 39- GL

**A/N- OMG THE REVIEWS! SO MANY! THANK YOU SO MUCH MarissaKeye, DDLo18, MegaBatz, Nightmare Rose13, ChiChi, David, and 12 guests! Since I promised if I got 10 reviews, we have reveals this chapter! Everyone except Bruce and Clark. Sorry, but I'm saving the Batman reveal for a big BM/WW moment :)**

* * *

** C****hapter 39- GREEN LANTERN**

Hal walked through the halls of Oa. After consulting with the guardians, he had reached the conclusion that they knew about Darkseid and Apokolips, but they weren't telling him something. Darkseid's motives were clear, he wanted the Kryptonian gene blueprint to create a super-parademon army, but what then? He already had the capability to rule the universe, the guardians had told him that much. _But if he has the power already, why did he want the Kryptonian genes? Is it possible he might be searching for something more...?_

He had asked the guardians if they could cure the parademon infection that had attacked Batman and Wonder Woman, but they said the only way to do that would be to re-write their genes, and they did not have the technology to do so. The only species which did were extinct.

Kryptonians...

They had superior gene-splicing and re-arranging technology as compared to any other species in the universe. They were all gone though, except for Supergirl, and she did not look like the type of Kryptonian who knew anything about how genetics worked. _No offence to her..._

Supergirl was not the type to seem intellectually superior. She was intimidating because of her strength, and Hal was not entirely immune to intimidation, despite having fought Parallax. The two girls in the team that had taken down Kalibak were powerful enough to smash down buildings. Hal did not want to get on either of their bad sides. He didn't know how he would tell Wonder Woman that he couldn't save her. They had been working together for a while now, and Hal had grown to respect her as a team mate.

To know what she would turn into made him shudder. The thought of facing off against her in a fight was a frightening prospect_. Zombie Wonder Woman and Zombie Batman...I wouldn't last a minute._

He stopped suddenly, as his ring appeared to be receiving a message. "_Batman to Green Lantern. Come in."_

Hal's jaw dropped. "Batsy? Are you okay?"

"_Affirmative. The alien pathogen underwent immune responses, and it shut down for good. Now get back to Earth, there is another attack imminent."_

* * *

**EARTH**

Hal touched down on the roof of Gotham City's town hall. It was 3 AM in the morning, and the sky was pitch black, swirling clouds of pollution obscuring the sun. He had come to meet Batman, but it looked like the rest of them were there as well. Wonder Flash. Even Supergirl. _Looks like Bats has been busy..._

"So...What exactly am I doing here?" he asked.

Batman gave him a dark look, and Hal promptly shut up. The dark knight faced the group.

"This attack was only the first. Darkseid will return. This time maybe even personally."

Hal snorted. "How d'you figure?"

"His second in command failed. If he is as ruthless a tyrant as his army depicts him to be, he will get the job done himself."

Flash and Supergirl looked pretty satisfied with that, and were both nodding.

Hal noticed Wonder Woman hadn't yet spoken. He turned to her and held her arm to get her attention.

"Wonder Woman. Are you alright?"

Her eyes looked distant, body unconsciously shifting away from him. "I'm fine, Lantern...the infection has dulled my senses and it is making me feel weak...Making me feel..._human..."_

Hal squinted at her beautiful features, which were covered underneath the Kryptonian visor, but arranged in a very familiar expression. He had seen that look before...

He just couldnt remember where. It was the expression of glassy-eyed melancholy which usually accompanied a surge of intense emotion, but whether she was feeling sad,happy or angry, Hal could not tell.

Batman snapped him out of it by speaking. "I'd suggest you leave her alone for now, Lantern. She is suffering from parademon sickness which will take a few hours to wear off. She is in no condition to converse at the moment."

Hal shrugged and looked towards the group, away from the dazed looking Wonder Woman. _Batsy sticking up for Wondy huh...who'd have thought that would happen..._

He straightened his posture and took a position that allowed all of them to see him closely.

"What do we do now?"

"Well we could train...I know a place in the Arctic..." Supergirl trailed off. Batman shook his head. "No. Keeping civilian casualties to a minimum should be our top priority. These motherboxes need to be located and destroyed before they are re-activated. We won't need to be strong enough to beat Darkseid if he never comes through."

Hal scoffed disbelievingly. "Yeah, right. Like that'll just happen. How can we possibly locate ALL of the boxes?"

Batman grimaced. "Gotham will be free of them by tommorow. Clean up Metropolis, Central City and any other major city which can be a target. Use Supergirl and Flash's help to find the boxes faster. Contact Wonder Woman and I once you are done."

"Whatever, Bats. I still think that it's a dumb idea. We have to find a way to stop Darkseid."

Wonder Woman seemed to snap out of her daze and hissed at Lantern. "You want to help, then help. Otherwise stay out of our way."

Hal was surprised at the sudden outburst. _I thought she hated Batman...why is she defending his ideas all of a sudden? Maybe it's something I said?_

He looked at the Amazon, who had lost the glassy-eyed faraway look and was now staring him down intently. He shifted his weight on his feet nervously. "Err...So, how in the _hell_ are you and Batman alright?"

Batman fired him a signature Bat-glare, almost menacingly hissing, but when Hal opened his mouth to speak, it vanished. _Interesting...he doesnt want to talk about it...Is it possible he stole technology from Supergirl? After all, the guardians did say that only Kryptonian tech could fix the parademon infection..._

He decided not to pursue the subject, as Supergirl and Flash were relieved that Batman and Wonder Woman were okay. They didn't really care how, they were just happy that their two team mates were alright. _Wait a minute...Are we even a team?_

"So...Are we like, a team now?"

Supergirl laughed. "I'm totally in for it. At least I don't have to face the world alone!"

Flash looked as if he was considering the idea, then he grinned broadly. Hal was pretty sure that meant the scarlet speedster was down with it. Wonder Woman and Batman, however, looked reluctant.

Wonder Woman grudgingly nodded. "Very well. If thats what it takes to stop Darkseid..."

Batman said nothing, choosing instead to grunt in irritation and jump off the roof, gliding to the bat-car.. _What was it called...? Yeah...the batmobile. Expect Batman to have everything based upon a damn bat. _

Hal also gritted his teeth and flew away, leaving Wonder Woman, Flash and Supergirl to scour cities across the country for motherboxes. He knew they wouldn't take long.

* * *

**5 Hours Later**

Hal spent the rest of the night in the field where they had fought Kalibak, training. He had no guidance so he asked the ring to show him fighting forms, and tried his best to emulate them. He had to be in top physical condition if he was going to fight Darkseid alone. It was a stupid idea and he knew it, but Hal was sure there was no way that Flash and Supergirl could find ALL of the boxes. Darkseid was coming to Earth, and Hal was going to beat him before he could cause any major damage. After fighting Parallax and winning, he was pretty sure he could take down a giant, even with an army.

He summoned a mace, and bashed it into the ground, leaving cracks branching from the point of impact like a spiderweb. The green weapon dissipated, and he caught his breath, breathing heavily. _That was enough training for now, my body needs to recuperate...and my ring is almost out of charge..._

He flew home, thinking he might go to school and check up on Diana. Their break up had been mutual, but it felt like she was forced to do it. The same way he was forced to do it. To keep her safe. He didnt want to put her in danger.

But she was hiding something behind those playful smiles...something big. He had to find out what.

He flew home, opening the window to his room. He charged his ring and left it on the table, going into the bathroom for a quick shower. He rubbed his aching muscles and stretched the soreness out of them, letting the steam reinvigorate his skin.

Quickly drying himself, he put on some old green t-shirt and jeans, and ran downstairs to eat breakfast. His foster parents hadnt woken yet, and he wasnt planning on waking them either. He threw his bag over his shoulder, and jogged out the door. He had gone maybe ten steps when he turned back, grumbling at his absent mindedness. He ran up the stairs again and slipped the ring in his pocket, turning around again to run to school. _I'm late..._

He reached within a minute, using his ring to boost his stamina. Quickly tossing his bag in the locker, he pulled out his books and bolted. Running into class, he crashed into Bruce Wayne, knocking the other boy into a desk. He caught Hal's arm and shoved him off. "Hey, watch it, dumbass!"

Hal glared at him, muttering under his breath. _Moron..._

Bruce shook his head condescendingly and sat on his desk, putting his feet on the table. _What a douche. I wonder if he enjoys being a dick. Him and Bats would get along great..._

He put his books on the table and fell into his chair, sighing in relief. _I'm not that late. _He looked around and saw that Diana hadn't come yet. Tapping his pen on the table, he waited.

Bruce looked across at him from the class, and Hal felt uncomfortable. He frowned at him, clenching his fists involuntarily. _What's up with that...?_

He took the free time to re-evaluate the crisis that was imminent. _Darkseid. _Supergirl and Flash were still looking for Motherboxes, that he was sure of, but what were Batman and Wondy doing? They seemed to be recovering from the ooze, but he wasn't sure they would be back to top fitness before an attack happened. He had to take charge, Supergirl and Flash weren't leadership material. They were strong and fast, but uncontrolled power can do more harm than good. _Woah...since when did I start becoming the philosophical type...? _He chuckled softly to himself.

He looked at the door and his breath hitched as he saw Diana walk in, clearly sick. She looked like she was having difficulty walking. He was about to get up and help her when he saw Bruce Wayne already by her side, asking her if she was alright. _You son of a..._

Hal felt a pang of irritation at the playboy trying to help her, but then realised that she wasn't his girlfriend anymore. He had no right to control who she talked to and whom she didnt. _Why Bruce though, Diana? C'mon! He's a totally prick!_

He gritted his teeth silently as Bruce walked her over to her place next to Hal. She was smiling weakly at the dark haired boy, who seemed to be trying to console her. Hal was confused. _Is Count Douchebag actually trying to be nice? _

Diana sat down slowly, taking a deep breath. She was looking better by the moment. _Or maybe it's just that Bruce suits her. _She looked flustered, and Hal hoped it was because she was sick...not because of what just happened between her and Count Douchebag.

He looked over at her and smiled. "Hey, Diana? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Hal, I'm fine, trust me." She looked down, as if contemplating something, and slowly whispered. "I need to talk to you after school...there's something I need to tell you. All of you. You, Bruce, Karen, Barry...everyone...I can't keep lying to you anymore."

Hal froze. _I knew it...there's something big going on..._ Then, as what she had just said fully registered, he raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Wait wait wait...Barry? How...?"

"He woke up, Hal." She beamed, and for a moment, she looked her normal self.

Hal felt a light joy flow through him, and he smiled broadly. "Where is he? Is he out of the hospital yet? How do you know about this?"

Diana shushed him. "I _promise _I will explain everything after school."

He sighed, and sat back in his seat. _I don't know how I can manage this double life...being Green Lantern and Hal Jordan at the same time...It's so difficult. How am I supposed to balance the both worlds? It would be so much easier if I could just trust these people..._

_Barry's woken up, and I'm going to tell him...and everyone else about the ring. To hell with it. I can't keep this secret any longer. I bet Diana has something big to say as well, but it wont be anything compared to my reveal that I am one of Central City's guardians! I wonder what her reaction is going to be...I hope she understands our break up better. I hope she understands that I only wanted to protect her..._

_I dont even know why I havent already told them! These are people I have known for years! They have been my best friends for so long, and I trust them all completely...except Bruce and Clark Kent...but even they deserve to know!_

He smiled to himself and waited for the day to get over. He was going to make Diana's big secret look like a tiny confession.

The day passed by with a blur, and Hal was barely paying attention to the classes. He had too much on his mind to possibly concentrate. His revelation. Diana's big secret. Douche Wayne. _Darkseid._

When the last bell rang, he knew he wasn't ready, but he had to go ahead with it. It might be his last chance. Diana was waiting for him outside the gates. Bruce was walking towards her as well. Hal couldn't help but notice that she was looking much better than she was in the morning, almost completely fine. It was almost as if she had never been sick at all. _That's strange, what type of sickness wears off in a day? _

Slowly, a train of thought began to form in his mind, and the gears slowly turned, but he wasn't quite there yet, and he knew it. Something was off...

The three of them didnt say a word as they walked to the park. Hal was nervous, but he didnt show it. He kept feeling the ring in his pocket, trying to get reassurance from it. When they reached the benches, Diana asked them to sit down. Hal propped himself on the backboard of the bench, and shrugged. "I don't really feel like sitting...now what did you want to tell us?"

She bit her lip, and frowned. She pulled out something from her jeans pocket and turned the other side, whispering into it. _Is that a phone? _Hal barely caught a glimpse, but it looked sleek and small, suspiciously like his communicator with the CCPD. The cogs in his head began to turn faster, but a part of his mind wanted to let the benifit of doubt be there. The thought forming in his head was psychotic. He heard a voice in the back of his head echo something he had read from Clark's blogs...

_Psychotic is just a three syllable word for any thought too big for little minds. _

He felt extremely anxious at this point, because he could almost guess what she was going to say, but he didn't want to accept it...it was just too much.

She turned back to them and slipped the thing into her pocket. Grimacing, she closed her eyes and waved her hand, as if to say _Wait for it..._

There was a rush of wind, and they were face to face with the Flash. Hal stood up, eyes widened in shock. _No. Nonononono...No...please don't let this be happening._

Bruce smirked, and cocked his head at Diana. "So...Is this what you wanted to tell us? That you are friends with a meta?"

Flash grinned and removed the reddish cover that was masking his forehead and eyes, to reveal Barry Allen. Hal felt weak in the knees, and was almost giddy with exuberance. _The Flash...Is my best friend? _He lunged forward and tackled the speedster in a hug.

"You...little, despicable..." He trailed off, too happy to finish the insult. Barry returned his hug and patted him on the back. "It's great to be back, Hal. Plus I get to have superpowers and work with Green Lantern, Supergirl, Batman and Diana to save people!"

_Wait...what did he just say?_

"Er...what?" Hal stammered.

Diana smiled weakly. "Yeah...about that...I'm-"

He cut her off, the realisation hitting him flat in the face. "Wonder Woman."

She grinned. Hal couldn't breathe for a moment, as everything suddenely fell into place. _This...actually explains a lot..._

He fingered the ring in his pocket, almost slipping it on. _Well apparently my reveal is going to be extremely interesting._..

Bruce merely looked bored, as if he had been aware of this the whole time. Diana raised an eyebrow at him. "You don't seem surprised, badboy...?"

Hal snorted. _Badboy? _

The dark haired douche stood up and flicked Diana's nose, smiling arrogantly. "Wonder Woman was affected by the ooze as well, it was shown on national television... And you told me yourself about your same case. You look like her as well. Two and Two don't make five, _princess."_

Diana looked at him appreciatively, a strange look of desire momentarily affecting her features. Intelligence was one of the qualities she greatly admired. "Not bad, Wayne...looks like you have half a brain after all..."

Hal felt like an idiot. A massive, massive idiot. He had worked with Wonder Woman for months, and he had _dated _Diana. He hadn't realised, but did? _Oh god, I am so STUPID._

If he told them about the ring now, no doubt they would laugh at his stupidity. Of course, he could fake having known the whole time, but then what? Diana would be super pissed. He rubbed the ring with his index finger and thumb, about to wiggle it on. Before he could, Barry looked at his hand in his pocket. "Whats in your pocket, Hal?"

He gulped and took a deep breath. _Now or never...better make it dramatic. _

His finger skirted around the edges of the ring, but once again, he was cut short. Supergirl rushed in the middle of the group, jaw hanging open.

"I was just finding the last of the boxes in Metropolis when I got your comm, Wonder Woman-..."

Supergirl cheekily grinned, a devastatingly beautiful smile enhancing her features. "...Or should I say Diana?"

Hal bit his tongue. _WHAT THE ACTUAL..._

Supergirl removed her visor and shook her head, letting her hair spread out. She looked up towards the rest of them and grinned. Hal blinked, unable to comprehend what was going on. _Supergirl...Is KAREN? _

The four of them gaped at each other, no one able to say a word. Bruce cut the silence, waving a hand boredly. "So are we done here, or does Hal have something to say as well...?"

He looked at Hal meaningfully, winking. _You despicable-..._

Hal sighed, and looked straight at Diana, who looked nervous, as if she had already guessed what was coming. He grimaced. "Well, looks like everyone has already done it...I'm the only one left. I really hope you don't hate me after this."

He slipped on the ring, and the group's awestruck faces were bathed in a green glow. He had changed the appearance of the uniform, made it more sleek and powerful looking when he had gone to Oa. Clearly, it had the desired effect. Diana opened her mouth to say something, but instead grabbed him into a tight hug. She gripped him tightly, smiling into his neck. "I'm so glad that you hadnt become a drug addict like I thought you had...I'm sorry for ever doubting you, Hal. I'm sorry for keeping secrets as well. And no, I will never hate you after this. You are a hero, and the world deserves to know that."

Hal slipped awkwardly out of her hug, but still clasped her shoulders. "Diana, I know I should have said something earlier. I'm sorry it didn't work out between us...It was all a really giant, dumb misunderstanding..."

She tensed suddenly, as if realizing that they could still be together if they wanted to. Hal felt his heart lurch, waiting for her to answer his unasked question.

She sighed and came to a conclusion. "I think it was for the best, Hal. We can work together as a team much better if we aren't distracted."

Hal shrugged. "Fine by me...although I don't think that getting distracted by Batman is the best way to go either..."

Diana deadpanned. "Shut up, Lantern."

Hal grinned and let his hands drop from her shoulders. The five of them looked at one another, smiling, and then burst out laughing. All except Bruce, who just seemed..._bored. _

Hal removed the ring from his fingers, feeling giddy from the mirth. "So, guys, are we going to have to include _Wayne _here in our team? Cause I really don't think Batsy would approve."

The four superpowered heroes looked at one another and came to a conclusion.

"Well, Bruce, you can be in on our secret...but keep it that way, or else we have a friend in Gotham who could _persuade _you to keep your trap shut." Diana glowered at him. The playboy looked unaffected, as if Batman didnt scare him. Hal couldnt tell if Bruce was just stupid or didn't know anything about Gotham's caped crusader.

"Umm...you do know what Batman will do to you if you try to reveal our identities, right?"

Bruce smirked, but said nothing. Hal shrugged. "Well, if you're not scared of him, good for you. But there are four more of us, who _will_ find out if you've let the cat out of the bag...And you should be very, very scared."

Bruce kept the smirk on his face, turning around and walking away, flicking his wrist with a nonchalant wave. "You guys should probably get to work...there's still a lot to be cleaned up after the last attack..."

Hal rolled his eyes and looked over at his teammates. He smiled as they all looked towards the sun, ready to move forward. Diana nodded at Hal, and looked at Supergirl and Flash, who had put their visors and masks back on.

Hal cleared his throat. "Barry. Karen. Let's get back to finding the rest of the boxes. Diana, you should get home. Join us when you are feeling up to it." He smiled at her one last time as the three of them zoomed away, leaving the Amazonian princess with a rush of wind.

* * *

**THRONE ROOM-APOKOLIPS**

Kalibak knelt on the floor, screaming out in agony as the parademons ate his flesh. He was an immortal...Unkillable...He could not die...

But this pain was worse than death. Darkseid had been merciless, allowing no room for failure. He had left Kalibak in chains, tied to the walls of the throne room as the hive feasted on his flesh.

The dark lord of Apokolips was determined to avoid another failure. He had misjudged the strength of the planet's guardians last time, but he would not make that mistake. He needed a plan. A diversion. He would lead the charge, fighting the "_heroes"_ head on, allowing another to extract the Kryptonian genes.

He needed a specialist, a killing machine specifically for hunting. The best bounty hunter in the galaxy, one that wouldn't fail him the way Kalibak had. Seething in the shadows, the dark shadow of Darkseid fell upon a figure in the entrance to the room. The red eyed, devilish figure strode casually into the dark hall. Smoke on his lips and braids in his hair, the last Czarnian scowled at Darkseid. The greatest bounty hunter in the universe. _**Lobo.**_

"I heard you have a job for the Main Man...?"

Darkseid sneered malevolently.

* * *

**A/N- What do you think? :)**

**Btw, if you haven't already noticed, I rewrote some segments of the story and re-arranged the chapters so it is less confusing! That's why chapter 37 suddenly became 38. I noticed that a lot of people were confused about the timelines, so I took 3 hours to fix everything! Go ahead and re-read from the beginning, there are a lot of minor improvements and its a lot less confusing! I hope that more people notice it now that its not so confusing...**

**Anyway, next chapter- Diana and Bruce have a chat in the park...again. This time without Clark eavesdropping... :) And Batman tries to figure out Darkseid's next move, while the media plays havoc on the mess caused by the heroes in Metropolis.**

**PLEASE REVIEWW! :) MORE REVIEWS= LONGER CHAPTERS AND FASTER UPDATES! AND MORE BM/WW! **

**Let me know who's pov you think should be in the next chapter, Bruce or Diana?**


	41. Chapter 40- Contradictions

**A/N-Well, 100 reviews. What can I say? I am simply AMAZED at the feedback. Thank you so much biggtedd, Doominater84, DDLo18, CrazyPhenom, Gold Lantern and 4 guests for reviewing the previous chapter and helping get past 100 reviews! **

**So...as a treat, plently of BM/WW in this chapter, and the return of Superman.**

* * *

**Chapter 40-Contradictions**

**WONDER WOMAN**

Diana watched as her friends departed, wishing she could join them. _I have to get back to top physical condition. I need to heal completely…I wonder how Batman is coping. After all he is just a human…_

_Her brain felt jumbled and confused. __Did I do the right thing rejecting Hal? How am I supposed to work with him now? It was already awkward talking to HAL, now it would be awkward working with LANTERN as well. Not to mention Batman. _Diana's current opinion on the Gothamite Vigilante was not a kind one, but she was intrigued by what lurked underneath the stormy knights mask. Her thoughts strayed to Karen. _Now that she is Supergirl, are things going to work out between her and Clark? Or will she stay away from him to protect him? Nah...probably not. Karen would find some way to deal with that problem._

She turned and slowly glided down the park path. Catching up to Bruce, she landed gracefully next to him. He merely looked at her, eyes twinkling. She had a sudden desire to bite her lips, but ignored the temptation. They held eye contact for a few moments before she finally spoke.

"Was it really that obvious?"

Bruce snorted. "That visor hides your face, but the rest of you isn't difficult to recognize…" he winked at her and she turned crimson. _Get ahold of yourself, It's just Bruce…he's being the playboy…_ "You're a pervert, Wayne…"

Bruce raised an eyebrow at her as the corners of his mouth twitched. "Well it's not my fault your suit looks like that…"

Diana rolled her eyes. "I'm not trying to look that way, moron. It makes me feel powerful." They exited the park, now moving down the street towards her house.

He said nothing, and continued to walk forward as she glided slowly beside him. Diana frowned. _Where is he going? He lives in GOTHAM!_She opened her mouth to say something, but Bruce put his finger on her lips. She felt a sudden stinging like a paper cut, and her mouth was suddenly dry. _What is he doing…?_

He pointed down the road they were walking on, towards his old apartment. It looked unoccupied, and not lived in for a while. "What are we doing here?"

"You need to get some rest, Princess. Better here than alone."

She put her hands on her hips and touched down on the ground. "What makes you think I'm just going to agree?"

"Relax, I'm not trying to take advantage of you. Besides, you're Wonder Woman, what makes you think I'd be stupid enough to try? Is it something on my face?" He smirked. _That infuriating, condescending smirk_… Diana had hated it for so long, but now was slowly beginning to find it alluring.

_What the hell is wrong with me? This little flirt has me reduced to a pile of nerves and hormones. I'm supposed to be powerful, yet this little prick is playing me, and I know it._

She scowled and barged through the door, ripping it off of its hinges. _Oops._"Umm…It was an accident…" she fumbled.

He chuckled softly and rested the broken door on its side by the entrance. "It's quite alright. I own the place."

"What?!"

"Ever heard of Wayne Enterprises? I'm the head of the company."

"But you're only 16!"

"So are you, and you're…well, look at you. I don't need superpowers to run a company. I bought this place so I could have a place to stay whenever I wanted to meet you guys."

_Damn it, why do you have to keep proving to me that you aren't just some dumb playboy douche? I'd be much happier staying away from you…I have enough confusion with Hal going on._

She dropped onto the sofa, a new determination to be as rude to Bruce as possible. "So, Diana, what do you want to do? Watch some TV?"

He switched on the television in front of them with a sleek black remote, and Diana noticed an odd scar running along the length of his arm. She scrunched up her eyebrows, as Bruce looked down at the injury and sighed. "Got into a fight…"

She shrugged. _Seems believable…Plenty of people who would want to punch out his perfect teeth, me included._

The billionaire teenager sat down on the couch next to her, mindfully keeping his distance. She turned her attention to the television blaring the news, trying her best to ignore the buzzing feeling in her arm. Her shoulder was inches away from his, and there seemed to be an aura of electricity in the air. The television was showing a scene of the destruction in Metropolis, and two blurs repairing the damage. The news reporter was speaking over the wind.

"**Since the Incident in Metropolis 5 months ago, humanity has known it is no longer alone in the universe. That threat was eliminated through the efforts of the military and USA's poster hero, Green Lantern."**

Diana saw Bruce snort softly, and mutter something underneath his breath along the lines of "_Hal, you media whore."_ She smiled and looked back at the TV.

"**But 24 hours ago, there was another invasion, this time on a larger scale. Through what appeared to be the combined efforts of 5 'caped superheroes', the threat was neutralized. But it is unclear what their intentions are. Green Lantern and Wonder Woman appear to be amongst their ranks, and there is a rumour that the mysterious vigilante from Gotham City, The Bat-Man, is also one of the team that saved millions of lives yesterday. Along with these three, the two blurs you see behind me, are the newest of the numerous heroes we have seen spring into action these last few months. They are helping rebuild Metropolis."**

Diana grinned. "Look at that, Bruce, Batman, Supergirl and Flash are getting recognized." He tapped his fingers on the armrest, looking sceptical.

"This is the media, Diana. Mess up once and they will turn on them like rabid dogs."

"We just won't mess up then."

Bruce gestured towards the screen. "Good Luck with that."

Diana gasped. Supergirl and Flash were standing in front of the camera, talking to the news reporter. **"And here we have our heroes, THE FLASH, and SUPERGIRL! Can you answer a few questions? The world wants to know what you are going to do next."**

Diana cursed. _Oh, this is not going to be good. The world is going to see that we are just a bunch of kids…_

Supergirl looked hesitant, but Flash smiled. **"Well, everyone…we are going to fix the mess that was made by these aliens, and we are going to keep these streets safe. You will not have to worry about any pesky metahuman attacks anymore!"**

The reporter smiled broadly, but something eerie lurked behind it. **"So, Flash…Supergirl…will you ever reveal your identities to the world, or do you believe the common person is not trustworthy enough?"**

_SHIT. This is not going to end well._Flash froze, and Supergirl blinked rapidly, trying to think of a suitable answer. The reporter continued in that same strange tone. **"Oh, I see how it is. The second one then. You believe that if everyone knew who you were, that we would reject you. Oh, what a pity to see…this is how much faith our heroes have in us, the people of Metropolis."**

Karen and Barry looked shell shocked, realizing only now what a mistake they had made. Barry growled. **"What are you trying to do? If it's piss us off, you have achieved that already. Don't make the mistake of making us act upon it."**

_Oh no…Barry, what have you done…_

The reporter didn't stop smiling. **"Do you see, citizens of Metropolis? This is what our heroes stand for. They will not take responsibility for their actions, choosing to hide behind masks."**Karen's eyes widened behind her visor, and Diana could see her anger. She clenched her fists as well, looking over at Bruce sitting next to her. His nostrils were flared, eye twitching in clear rage. _What the hell happened to 'Saviours of Metropolis?'. This reporter has done a complete 180 within the last 5 minutes!_

She felt like flying over to Metropolis and punching the snot out of the reporter, but what would that solve? _Nothing._ In fact it would only infuriate the public more. She was powerless. Gritting her teeth, she saw Bruce get up and turn the television off. Exhaling slowly, she stood up and looked at him. His eyes had a mixture of darkness and fire in them, and he was breathing heavily, eyes locked with hers. There was a strange look that marred his features, one that was screaming DANGER to her, but all she felt the desire to do was calm him down.

She looked away, breaking the stare. He whispered in a low voice, velvety and dark. "Diana...please don't do anything rash. I'll take care of it...this son of a bitch won't be mocking those who saved his life any longer."

She felt her heart beat loudly in her chest at the sudden protectiveness towards her that he had shown. The reporter hadnt hurt her personally, but Diana got the feeling that Bruce was only irked at his antics because they had angered her.

_When did the heartbreaker suddenly get a heart...?_ She said nothing, only nodding at him. He didnt move, still looking at her. She shifted uncomfortably and walked towards the guest bedroom. He quickly shook his head and took her hand gently, pointing towards the master bedroom. _Is he trying to-_

"Please, Diana. You need to rest. Your body hasn't healed yet, and you need to be at your best by tomorrow..." he whispered, sending odd shivers down her spine. _Oh...he wasn't. He is just trying to be nice...something I've rarely see him do before...what's gotten into Wayne? He's proven me wrong about him so far...Contradicting every preconception I have had about him so far. But then why does he act so...**rude** in public?_

She walked into the room, and sat on the plush, feather soft bed. Bruce stood by the door, as if waiting to be dismissed. She cocked her head at him and he turned to leave. As he was about to shut the door, she spoke. "Wait."

He held the door half open, expectantly. "Why do you hide this side of you, Bruce? Why do you pretend to be something you aren't?"

He merely smiled at her, the first genuine smile (that wasnt a cocky smirk) that Diana had seen on his face. "Goodnight, Princess...Dream of Sugar, Spice, and everything nice."

He shut the door, and Diana sighed and laid back on the bed. Tiredness ran through her body, and she yawned, trying to contemplate on the crazy day she had just had...finding out her friends were superheroes...the media reporter that was clearly deranged...and a 16 year old playboy billionaire...who wasn't all that he seemed.

She fell asleep, a smile on her lips, content.

* * *

**BATMAN**

Bruce closed the door, and quickly switched on the television. He reduced the volume so Diana couldnt hear it in the other room. The reporter was still talking to Flash and Supergirl, but it had evolved into a heated argument. They were about to come to blows, when there was a cutaway, and the reporter's name was shown. He inhaled sharply. _Jonathan Crane. Scarecrow...He's trying to get the public afraid of us..._

He staggered woozily, feeling the aftershocks of the ooze dizzy him. He sat on the sofa as stars danced before his eyes. He had controlled his weakness the entire day, but he was only human. Even Batman could only deal with the physical strain of an alien virus for so long. Diana was no normal human, so she didn't feel the effects like Bruce did. If she only looked sick, then he struggled to imagine what would happen to him if he didnt get rest. But he had to stop Jonathan Crane before the media and public turned on Supergirl and Flash...

He groaned, falling on the floor with a thud, trying to keep himself from falling unconscious. The Kryptonian tech that Clark had used on him stopped him from becoming a monster, but his body still needed to fight the infection off. In this weakened state, he would be no use against another possible invasion. Gritting his teeth, he pulled himself up, feeling his muscles quiver with exertion.

He fell back on the floor instantly, his legs unable to sustain him. He tasted blood in his mouth, and heard Clark speaking to him in his head.

_YOU ARE BATMAN..._

_THE NIGHT..._

_THE FEAR..._

_THE SHADOW.._

_**JUSTICE. **_

_GET._

_UP._

Almost yelling out, he pushed himself up, standing before the television. Flash was about to punch Jonathan, butSupergirl was holding him back, the madman talking all the while. **"Look at that, citizens! These are your heroes! Attacking the very man who called them saviors! All to justify their indifference to the mess they have made! BOO METAHUMANS! BOO YOU FREAKS!" **Supergirl looked ready to just let Flash go, but there was a roar of wind, and a massive shockwave hit the ground behind the three.

The earth cracked, and dust rose from the impact. Standing in the middle of the haze swirling around the centre was a lean, muscular figure, clad in blue. There was an **S **on his chest, a much larger crest than the one Supergirl had, and a long cape flowed behind him in the wind.

Bruce stared, awestruck. Clark looked...Raw. _Powerful. **Intimidating. **_

The red underwear was gone, and a deep blue armor covered him. The symbol was wider, more sleek, and the wrist clasps were extended to the back of his hand in a V shape, giving him an imposing presence. The suit looked like very thin chain-mesh, the nanite technology redefining his physique. The boots were textured, more of the same chainmail tone, and defined his leg muscles. In a few hours, he had increased in size. His biceps looked larger and his shoulders had become shaped. His chest was broader and looked even bigger than Hal's. He had fashioned a new visor as well, this one giving him the defined jawline and sharp, angular cuts.

Bruce was awestruck by the suit, and it looked like the the others were as well. Scarecrow managed to stammer- **"Who...who are you?"**

Clark spoke, and his voice sounded like 20 people speaking at once.

_ "**WHO I AM OR WHO THEY ARE IS NONE OF YOUR CONCERN. I SUGGEST YOU GO BACK TO GOTHAM, SCARECROW, OR YOU WILL FIND HELL TO PAY."**_

_He's modulating his vocal chords...nice one, Kent. _

Jonathan Crane looked dumbfounded, and was shaking like a little kid. He scrambled backwards and ran away, pushing aside the camera, desperate to escape. The cameraman turned his camera to Supergirl, who was trying to talk to the caped stranger. **"You...you were the one that did this to me?" **

Clark said nothing, crossing his arms. Flash looked at him, sizing him up. **"Who ****are**** you? Are you another Kryptonian, like Supergirl? Most of the Kryptonians I've heard about were psychos. Now you better prove to us that you are on our side, or we are going to take you down."**

Clark scowled at the scarlet clad teen. He looked at Supergirl, cocking his head to the side condescendingly, and then blasted off with a roar.

Bruce knew he was coming here. He didnt look happy. _Something is wrong..._

He blinked woozily, unable to watch anymore. He collapsed on the sofa, eyes rolling back towards his head.

* * *

**Supergirl**

_That was him. The one who made me like this. I know it. And I am going to find him._

Karen turned to Barry, who was still gaping at the sky, mouth hanging open. "Flash...we need to re-group. Im going to comm Lantern and Wonder Woman to meet us at Gotham. We need Batman's help if we are going to track down this guy."

He blinked, once. Twice. Three times. She snapped her fingers in front of his face. Come on...Barry...

The cameraman was still trying to record, and a small crowd was forming around them. The public were shouting at them, hurling abuse. Even though it had been a madman who had reported, it had left the desired impact on the people. "YOU DESTROYED OUR CITY!" "YOU VIGILANTES!" "YOU ARE NO BETTER THAN THE META BANK ROBBERS AND MURDERERS!"

She turned to the crowd and scowled. "If you want our help, take it. Otherwise get off of our backs. What's it going to take for you to realize that WE ARE ON YOUR SIDE!"

The crowd backed away, murmuring at her outburst. She snarled at them and turned back to Barry, who nodded at her. "Let's go, Flash."

They rushed off with a blur, leaving an angry mob of people waiting to protest against them._ They are blind fools. They turned on us with a few words from a psychopath that belongs in Arkham Asylum. They do not realize it. I will prove to them that we are on their side, that we are fighting for truth. I am going to take down that pasty son of a bitch who dares to wear the symbol of El, and hang him by his cape from the Daily Planet's spire. That bastard which ruined my life is going to get the beating he deserves._

* * *

**A/N- That was a fun chapter to write. So, public has turned on the team...Supergirl is looking for revenge, and Batsy and Wondy are still missing the action. They will be fine by next chapter though ;)**

**The new suit...mostly based on the lovely Man Of Steel design with some elements of new52. No collar though. (that just looks hideous according to me). I think the wrist collar things are pretty cool though, so I added those. **

**Next up- Clark meets up with Batman, and the 4 others form a plan to take down the caped man who Supergirl vowed to "hang from the Daily Planet spire" Haha, Perry White! Take that! Media you suck!**

**:)**

**So, what did you think of the chapter? Thoughts on how the first Supergirl/Superman interaction should go? And do you think that the media element is a good idea? I didn't really like it much, but I'm trying to be realistic, so obvious media backlash is obvious.**

**(btw, I got 2 suggestions for Bruce's POV this chapter and 2 for Diana's. So I compromised and did both.) **

**But what about next chapter? I'm guessing half will be Clark, and the second...Umm...idk. You tell me. Supergirl, Flash or Green Lantern?**

**PLEASE REVIEW! I LOVE FEEDBACK! I WILL INCORPORATE YOUR SUGGESTIONS!**


	42. Chapter 41- Superman

**A/N- Thank you for reviewing, Doominater84, My Name Is Oliver Queen, DDLo18 and 4 guests! :)**

* * *

**CHAPTER 41- _Superman_**

**Earth**

"Bruce, get up."

The caped figure grabbed his collar and threw him on the sofa. Bruce bounced, groaning. Picking up a glass of water kept on the coffee table, the man threw it on his face. Gasping and sputtering, he finally blinked and opened his eyes.

"_Kent."_

"There is going to be another attack."

"What?"

"Get your team ready, and trained. Darkseid will retaliate. You don't have much time."

Bruce scowled. "The media are not going to like this."

Clark simply grimaced. "I have a way to fix that."

Merely grunting, Bruce turned to the door, signalling him to leave. Clark clenched his fists and shook his head. "Tell Diana not to get in my way."

Bruce scoffed. "Your power levels arent anywhere near hers..."

Clark said nothing, eyes stormy. He knew Bruce could feel it. The room itself was _humming _with power. Jor-El had said he would only get stronger. To say that Diana was a threat to him at this point was almost a _joke. It's for her own safety._

"Just tell her, Wayne."

He jumped out of the window, vanishing with a rush of speed.

* * *

**Supergirl**

Karen and Barry reached the house as quickly as they could. They ran up the stairs with a woosh, knocking on Diana's door. She opened it, and Karen was momentarily taken aback. Diana yawned lazily, looking stunning even in the early hours of the morning. Karen blinked, and then said "Diana, we need to move. Remember the boy from the Metropolis incident? Well he's back. And no boy anymore."

Diana quickly gathered her belongings, holding up a hand. "Give me five minutes."

She soared out the door to her house. Karen and Barry turned to Bruce. He was leaning against the door, a contemplative look on his face. "What are you planning, Karen? Attack this guy? Are you even sure he is a threat?"

She gritted her teeth angrily. _You dont understand. _In a huff, she picked Bruce up by his neck and held him up in the air. "_Quiet, asshat." _She hissed.

He scowled at her as she let him down slowly. She continued speaking. "This man gave me my powers, and don't get me wrong, I like being Supergirl, but I have to know why he chose ME! He ruined everything for me. I was happy with my life, I couldve been with Clark! You know CLARK, right, Wayne? Your friend? The boy I broke?"

Bruce smiled sadly and whispered "You didn't break Clark. No one broke him. No one ever will."

Karen shut her eyes and turned to the side. "I hurt him, and I can't bear to see him like this anymore. He pushes us all away, choosing to be alone."

Bruce said nothing, walking out of the house. She called after him "Bruce! Wait. I'm sorry. I overreacted. But I need some answers."

"So you think It's a good idea to meddle with forces beyond your control? This Kryptonian has been on Earth for more than 6 months, and you didn't ever find him. You think he will be so easy to coerce? This is bigger than you five. So much bigger. Stay away from him..."

Karen snorted. "How would _you _know? You're just some random dude!"

Bruce walked out into the street and got into a sleek black Rolls Royce, revving the engine. "Do what you have to, Karen, but atleast be careful. Don't be so quick to throw punches first, remember, he saved you from the media."

Karen nodded. "Thank you, Bruce. But where are you going?"

"I have a business to run, _Supergirl. _Gotham of course." He smiled cryptically, and Karen got an odd feeling he wasn't exactly going where he said he was, but she reckoned her paranoia was just a side effect of the _stressful _day she was having.

He revved the engine once more, and zoomed down the street. She looked towards Barry, who was waiting by the door, smiling at her with a strange melancholy. She frowned at him, and he shook his head. "He's more worried about Diana than you, I can tell. Those two are becoming really close. I never really expected that..."

Karen shrugged. _Who cares...I just need a way to get Clark to see me as more than a friend again..._

Hal landed in front of them. "I got your message, guys. What's the plan? Do you think this Kryptonian might be working for Darkseid?"

She stepped back, surprised. _I never thought of that..._

"It's completely possible. We'd better find him, fast."

Diana glided towards them, softly touching down next to Hal. She smiled at him and turned to the group. "Let's contact Batman as well."

"Agreed" Hal said.

The four of them raced towards Gotham.

* * *

**Superman**

**METROPOLIS**

He flew over the city expectantly, slowly gliding. The weather was dark and rainy in the Suicide Slums, and he was waiting for Karen to find him. _She needs to understand why I did it. Supergirl is the strongest member of the team, and she has to take responsibility as the leader. Bruce can't be the face of the team, he is a shadow, meant to impose fear, not inspire hope. That is what Supergirl must be. _

A side of him knew he was capable of that as well, but he knew that he would never belong in the team. _ They would only reject me. I keep secrets, I lie to them...I scare them. They would never accept me for the same reason they never accepted Clark Kent...They do not understand me, and people are scared of what they dont understand._

He smiled sadly, feeling a twist in his heart. _That is my destiny. To look to the stars, watch the human race grow...nurture the seeds of hope from the shadows._

His attention turned to a gunfight happening in the slums, bullets going off near him. He landed in the middle of it, the bullets bouncing off his chest. A Policeman was firing at 3 African-American boys in their house, while his partner seemed oddly agitated. He was shocked to see that the policeman did not seem threatened. He was using fatal force for the sake of it. Clark stiffened.

"Why are you firing at them?"

"Oh, it's you, the _Super-man."_

"I asked you a question."

The policeman smiled cockily. "I appreciate you being all heroic, but these people attacked us, and assaulting the police means they have to be apprehended."

"_Children? THEY _attacked you?"

The policeman faltered. "Uh...They have weapons. They fired shots at us as well."

He did a quick scan of the house with his x-ray vision, and found them unarmed, with firecrackers in their hands. He scowled at the policeman. His partner gulped and tried to save face. "He didn't intend to kill, he just acted in defence."

"Indeed you did. Defence from _firecrackers. _These kids accidentally set off a few crackers in your vicinity, didn't they? You thought it would be easy to pick on them? Firing bullets because they "attacked you first"?"

"Those niggers aint got no firecrackers, they have guns."

The policeman's partner looked angry. "Don't call them that, Joe."

"And why not? They are just pathetic black-faced dogs. They have no regard for the law."

"Im calling the chief, Joe. Racists like you shouldn't be on the force in the first place. How the hell did you even get the job?"

"Shut up, Carl, you always have to be so touchy. You damn well know that these little idiots will grow up and start disobeying the law, why not teach them a lesson now?"

Clark watched this exchange, getting more and more irked by the second. He rushed inside the house and brought the children outside. He saw them whimpering and consoled them. "It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you. Can you tell me why they fired at you?"

"It-It was an accident, sir...I was playing with a rocket with my brother, and...and it went near their car..."

Clark turned to the policeman. "Go. Now. Before I break your arm. Get off the police force. Find another job. You don't deserve this one."

His partner Carl nodded, grabbing the man's shoulder, trying to get him to get in the car and walk away before he got hurt. The man scowled and spat at Clark's feet. "You heroes aint no real help. You're stupid scum. What are you going to do to me, huh, tough guy? Touch me and the public riot."

He shook off his partners hand on his shoulder and marched up to Clark, almost a head shorter than him. Clark bent down and looked the man in the eye, inches away from his face. He spoke in a menacing whisper, barely audible to the man.

"'You hate these boys because they are different from you. You probably believe because they are different, they are inferior. No.

You don't walk away now, I will watch them show you the way you treat them. They will do to you what you did to them. Only then will you understand. These slums are their home only because of people like _you. _Given half a chance, they become greater than you will ever be, because they know what it's like to be mistreated, and they will never treat another human being like that. You fired bullets at them just because you could. Do you think they would fire at you for the same reason? No. They would not. Because they know what it is like to be shot at.

These children are already greater than you ever will be, and I suggest you start to understand that. Get off the police force before I make sure that you don't ever find another place to live."

The man's partner nodded in agreement, but didn't. He scowled and turned, walking away, turning one last time to spit at Clark's feet. He ignored it and took the boys inside. Giving them both some bread and water, he wiped away their tears. "Wait here, your mother will be home soon."

He smiled at them and closed their front door, turning to face the policemen. There was a sudden gunshot noise, and he saw the policeman Joe with the gun in his hand. His partner was hit on the head, unconscious on the ground. The policeman's eyes were triumphant with defiance.

Clark traced the path of the bullet and saw it had gone through the window. Dread filled his heart as he used his x-ray vision.

His eyes widened as he saw one of the boys in the room collapse. _**No...**_

* * *

**Supergirl**

The four of them waited for Batman on the roof of one of Gotham's many skyscrapers. It had been 20 minutes since they had arrived, and Batman seemed to be late. _Where is he? We can't take Super"man" on without his help. _

Karen sighed in relief as the Batplane landed on the rooftop. Batman jumped out. "You are looking for the Kryptonian."

"How...?" Barry asked.

"Lucky guess"

"Can you find him?"

Batman hesitated. "Yes. But I will not help you confront him. It's a bad idea without any prep time."

Green Lantern laughed. "How do you know? He'll be a piece of cake."

"I've researched him...his power levels are-"

"Not gonna be a problem for _me."_

Batman scowled. "We'll see."

He tossed a GPS device at Karen. She caught it and glanced at the display. There was a red dot, blinking near Metropolis. She nodded appreciatively. "Thank you."

He jumped into the Batplane, flying off in a huff.

Karen looked at the blinking red dot. _You prevented me from fixing things with Clark, and you hurt my heart. Im going to make you pay. I will punch your nose out until you bleed._

She turned to the team. "Let's go."

The four of them headed towards Metropolis.

* * *

**Superman**

He lifted up the man with one hand, keeping a firm grip on his neck, careful not to snap him in two. "WHAT DID I TELL YOU?"

Policeman Carl laid a hand on Clark's shoulder. "It's not worth it."

He gripped tighter, and he saw the man slip into unconsciousness. As the air slowly stopped going to his windpipe, Joe fainted. Clark was about to let the man go, and moved to toss him to the ground, when there was a rush of wind behind him. He threw the insensate gent towards his partner on the ground and turned to face the four intruders. _Oh, I don't think this looks good. They just caught me choking a policeman. _

Supergirl growled at him. "You attacked a preserver of the Law."

The people around them fell silent, none of them even daring to contradict her, even though the policeman was the one that had been corrupt. They shut their windows and went inside. Clark scowled. _They KNOW that he shot that kid. Yet they choose to hide? _

"_**You don't understand."**_

Karen snarled at him. "What's to understand? You attacked two cops! And you trashed Metropolis!"

"_**Supergirl, back off. There are things at work here bigger than you know. I mean you no harm."**_

"Liar!"

She charged at him and he moved out of the way a split second before she hit him, sending her barrelling into the wall behind him. She pulled her self out of the rubble and clenched her fists again. Clark turned to the other three. "Let's take this someplace else." He whispered, softly. "Catch me if you can."

He saw Supergirl move with a burst of speed, and he dug into the ground, roaring to the outskirts of Metropolis. The sonic boom threw the three others off balance as he landed gracefully in the field they had fought Kalibak in.

Within seconds, he was confronted by them. He was toying with them, and they should know it. He was enraged already by the death of the child, he didn't want to inflame that further. _I can't hurt my friends even by accident. I need to show them that Superman is not a threat to them._

Green Lantern looked at him, and charged. Clark clasped his arm mid punch and threw him into the air. Wonder Woman and Supergirl were next as he merely blocked their punches, tripping them with an effortless motion of his legs. He flew backwards, and used his heat vision near their feet, pushing them back.

"_**STAY. BACK. WE CAN TALK THIS OUT." **_

A red streak knocked him off balance, and broke his concentration. He shook his head, momentarily fazed, and Wonder Woman and Supergirl took the chance. With a mighty roar, Wonder Woman swung her sword at his head, and Supergirl punched him in the chest.

He caught the sword with one hand, cutting his palm, and swatted Supergirl to the side. Heaving upwards, he made Diana fall to the ground. Throwing the sword aside, he moved back. A red blur moved towards him and he slowed his senses, grabbing it as it was about to rush by him.

It was a boy. He tore off the mask to reveal Barry Allen's face. _That's new..._

He faked surprise. "So, kid. What can you do?"

Barry vibrated his hand and struck Clark's wrist. He let go, not wanting to hurt his friend. Barry raced away. Supergirl dive kicked, striking Clark in the jaw. He shrugged it off, unhurt, and fired heat vision at her feet. She backed off.

"_**I need you to stop. NOW."**_

She scowled at him. "Why did you do this to me? When you tell me that, I'll stop."

"I did it to give the world a hero."

Wonder Woman and Flash together punched at his chest, and they were knocked back, the shockwave of their own blows throwing them off. Diana skidded on the ground and turned to face him. "If you did it to give the world a hero, does that mean you aren't one?"

Supergirl nodded in agreement. "What is your connection with the events of Metropolis a few months ago? Did you work for General Zod?"

"_**I did not. You are scared of me. You don't control me...and that scares you."**_

Supergirl yelled out, and fired a blast of heat vision. He dodged it, soaring into the air. _**"But that doesn't mean I'm your enemy."**_

"Then TELL US WHO YOU ARE!"

He shook his head. _**"I can't do that, Supergirl."**_

The three heroes charged at him together, and he flew to the ground, punching it and creating a massive shockwave that blew them backwards.

Green Lantern flew into the fight, hitting him with a truck. "Okay, Round Two, Flyboy!"

He summoned constructs of hundreds of chains, enclosing Clark within them. He simply smiled. _**"Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern...Stop. We don't have to fight. Just stay out of my way, and I will stay out of yours. I promise you, if you come looking for me again, I will not hesitate."**_

He stood within the constructs, covered in the mass of green. Lantern laughed at him. "You've lost, twerp. Game. Over. You can't threaten us if you can't get out of my chains!"

Clark shook his head. _**"Chains? What chains?"**_

He stomped on the ground, rippling with power. The constructs cracked...and shattered. He roared as they flew off him in a ripple of might. He looked towards the four, and sent a warning blast of heat vision. It hit Hal's hand as he was lifting it up, attempting create another construct.

Glowering at the four, he raised his eyebrows at them, warning them not to try anything else. They didnt.

Clark looked up to the sky, and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he pushed off from the ground, and vanished from their sight.

* * *

**A/N- Superman at last...**

**Sorry for not updating in a while...**

**Star Wars MADNESS! How many of you watched it?**

**Anyway, what did you think of the chapter? Leave a review. I have noticed feedback has reduced! Why?**

**I need feedback!**

**PLEASE REVIEW! Okay...Lets do one thing. For every chapter with 10+ reviews, In the next one, BM/WW moments.**

**That'll help right?**

**But one condition. Reviews have to help me make this story better. Tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, what you want more of, what you find boring...etctec.**

**(Like the media angle...Some people said it was dumb, others said it was...okay?)**

**Lets improve my writing, your reading experience, and this story in general! Please leave a review!**


	43. Chapter 42- Aftermath

**A/N- Apologies for the long delay in updates, holidays were nuts...**

**Anyway, Sooo many reviews! Thank you all DDLo18, ScarletSpeedster, My Name Is Oliver Queen, ALEKILE, Doominator84 (I kinda understood what you were saying about Batman being nerfed if Clark is also super smart, and I tried to change that in this chapter, with Batman being more quick), Brandon921, ChiChi, Emerald Archer, FastestMan Alive, Guthans, Photon (I felt so happy at your review :) ), and 6 guests.**

**And an ENORMOUS THANK YOU TO THE EPICALLY AWESOME AwesomeGuyV7! Thank you so much for that feedback! It helped me a lot while writing this chapter and I hope I answered some of your questions. I incorporated a lot of what you have suggested me into the story :)**

**Anyway, enough talk. Here is a multiple POV, big chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 42- AFTERMATH**

**The Flash**

Barry sprinted ahead of the group, trying to collect his thoughts. It had only been two days since the attack by Kalibak and the parademons, and already they seemed to have a new opponent stronger than they were. _How are we supposed to do good if everyone we fight is so strong?_

He stared at the slowly rising sun. _My friends..._

_We are Superheroes._

Something about the fight had finally caused that to hit home. They had fought more fluidly than the day before, working as a unit rather than individuals. They understood themselves better, and trusted each other. They knew their weaknesses and their strengths, what made them smile and what pissed them off. They were a team. And _together_, along with Batman's help, they would stop "Superman" from hurting anyone else.

_He was choking a cop...He would've killed him if we hadn't interfered. He's dangerous and a menace. The media is not going to like this at all. That bastard reporter is going to get a visit one of these days, and I'm going to enjoy it._

The four of them stopped outside Diana's house. She placed a hand on Karen's shoulder, and drew her into a hug. Supergirl was on the verge of tears at this point. Hal awkwardly shuffled, and grimaced at Barry. _He's pissed off._

Barry cocked his head to the side, motioning a few feet away. Hal walked over, lifting his head up slightly. Karen and Diana broke off, the elder girl still a little nervous. _Karen was so eager to discover the truth...she just wanted to know why the caped maniac chose her. No one deserves to be kept in the dark about their destiny like that. _

He smiled weakly at her, and she beamed at him, but it didn't reach her eyes. Diana spoke, ending the silence. "I think that we couldve beat this guy if we were more prepared. We shouldve waited a week before trying something rash."

Hal raised his hand. "Uhm, Diana, he beat the crap out of us. He broke my constructs, which up until now, I thought was almost impossible."

Barry intervened. "That's not even the point, Hal! I'm the youngest here but am I the only one using my head? He's out there. And he's stronger than us. Why hasn't he attacked us before, then? Is it possible that he might not be a-?"

Karen intervened. "Threat? Really, Bear? He was choking a police officer!"

Barry shrugged. "Earlier, I was going to beat the crap out of a reporter...how do we know its not the same situation?"

She huffed in irritation. "Whatever."

Barry frowned. "Hey, I'm sorry...We should all stop fighting among ourselves. We are tired and frustrated. We need a day off. I'll see you guys at school...I think we are already late."

He raced off home, happy to finally be able to go back to school and meet Iris again. _She will be so amazed..._

He quickly ran inside, giving his father a quick hug, and leaving the older man confused. Barry looked up at him and smiled. "I'm a hero, dad..."

Henry smiled. "You've got to be careful, son. Helping people is all good, but you've got to watch yourself as well. You're still going to school, though!"

Barry laughed, and ran up the stairs. "Yeah, totally, I wasn't planning on bunking anyway!"

Henry sighed, accepting that he couldnt treat his son like a child anymore. The Flash was whom Barry had chosen to become when he got his powers, and he was proud of it. His son was a hero, and that made him feel happier than any parent could be. _All that time telling him heroes are only in comic books, but one of them was in front of me the whole time. _

Barry, meanwhile, had a quick shower, and changed with a blur. He wore his flash suit underneath his shirt and tossed on a jacket to hide the cowl. "Yep, That'll do it. Time to go see Iris." He muttered.

He was at the school gates in a second. He slowed down and entered homeroom, dread travelling up his spine as he realized that his attendance for the year meant he would have to repeat it. He gulped and sat down in his place, tapping the table. Everyone...EVERYONE was looking at him. He waved towards them. "Hey, guys...I've been kinda sick..."

"You've been absent for 10 months, Barry. The year's almost over! Finals are next week!" one of the boys said.

He frowned. "Really...? Well no problem...I'll ace them." _I am a "nerdy science guy" after all. And I have super speed. I could probably finish the textbooks in a minute." _

Their jaws dropped and they shrugged, deciding that he was going to fail. He laughed and looked towards the door, and then his vision tunnelled. _Iris. _She walked into the class, and immediately noticed him. Her jaw dropped and she stood there transfixed. "Barry...?"

He smiled weakly at her and she moved forward, still looking at him. The rest of the class was giggling, whispering quietly. He opened his mouth to say something when she rushed forward suddenly and hugged him tightly. The rest of the class fell silent and stopped giggling as Iris was crying. Barry smiled and felt her hair. _I think I love you, Iris..._

* * *

**Batman**

Clark landed, cracking the floor of the batcave.

"What happened, Bruce? I told you to warn Diana and the others, I needed to talk to Supergirl alone!"

"Not my fault." He turned to face Clark. "How did you beat them, anyway...?"

"I...don't know. I was angry, I don't remember the fight very well. I barely controlled myself, I wasn't holding back...Someone could have gotten hurt."

"But they didn't. You used your emotion to unleash your strength. Make sure it doesnt happen again. You're getting stronger."

"I only beat Zod because of your training. Not because I was stronger than him, because I wasn't. You taught me how to fight, how to put down the enemy. And until I got my powers I didnt have the strength to use those techniques, but now I do. Even this time, I was only able to hold back because you taught me how to control my senses. In a way, you saved them today."

Clark placed a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, Bruce."

Bruce smiled, and gestured towards the monitor, which had just pinged. Clark smirked, clearly not expecting a reply to his sentiment. The screen showed the location of Jonathan Crane, the man supposedly behind the media outrage. _This isn't like Scarecrow, it's not his style. Someone else coerced him into doing this. After all, Crane can hardly go out in public, he's a wanted psychopath. And how did the news channel allow this? Something bigger is at play here. _

He explained this to Clark, who nodded in agreement. "Someone else is clearly behind this. I suspect we will find out soon." He smiled, and the earth shook, tensing up. "You might want to step back a little."

Bruce stepped back.

"A little bit more."

He moved backwards, and Clark smirked, raising his eyebrows.

The cave shook, a burst of wind rattling the equipment and waking several hundred bats as Superman soared to find Jonathan Crane.

* * *

**Green Lantern**

Hal woke up with a jump. He had fallen asleep on his desk, and Diana had hit him on the head with a notebook. "Wake up, Rip Van Winkle!"

He shook his head and glanced at the teacher, who was looking down at him. He sheepishly pulled out the textbook, and turned to the page Diana was on. She tried her best not to smile as he pretended to read. The teacher, satisfied, walked away. Hal let out a sigh in relief.

He glanced around the class. _Well, Barry's got his classes, Karen's got her's. Bruce is in Gotham, doing business, but where's Kent? Eh, who cares..._ He scribbled down a note on a piece of paper and passed it to Diana. **Bats- After School. **

She grimaced, but nodded reluctantly. _She doesnt like Batman much..._

He felt his eyelids drooping again, and he put his head down on his desk, as Diana shook her head.

* * *

**Supergirl**

Classes were over, and Karen Starr was agitated. _Where is Clark?_

He hadn't shown up to school. _He's off with Batman, no doubt. I need to see him. He'll understand what I'm going through...He knows...he always knows. _

She walked towards the school gates, and saw Hal, Diana, Barry, Lois and Iris there. They were talking in hushed tones. Using her super hearing, she heard they were telling Lois and Iris about the situation. The two girls were transfixed, their full attention on what they were being told. She walked over to them and stood towards the side, letting Diana finish the story.

"So that's where we have been these past months..."

It was Lois Lane who spoke first between the two. "So, what does Superman have to do with all this? Is he working for Darkseid?"

Karen tensed. _Superman... _Hatred surged through her veins and she clenched her fists.

"Lois, Lets not discuss the man in blue right now. He's not a villain, from what I have seen, and he hasnt given us any reason to mistrust him." It was Barry who had spoken, and Karen suspected that he was slightly inclined to side with Superman as he had sided with them against the reporter. _It's still not enough. He hasn't hurt any of us except me...they wouldnt understand, how could they. Look at them...all so happy. They have each other. They dont know what its like to have something just in reach, but untouchable. Clark..._

She grimaced at Barry, and turned to the group. "Barry, We need to bring him down. We have to get stronger. Kalibak's attack was just the first. If we cant even take down one Kryptonian, how are we supposed to fight another invasion headed by _Darkseid?"_

Diana nodded in agreement. "We need to form a schedule. Some sort of strategy. With Batman's help, we can take him down. Then Darkseid. We should've listened to him in the first place." She said grudgingly, grimacing.

Iris and Lois seemed utterly mesmerized, unable to speak. Karen noticed that Iris was clutching Barry's arm, and he had a strangely jubilant yet solemn expression. She smiled, happy that Barry finally was living his dream.

To her, Clark was like an apple just out of reach. Close enough to touch, but not to taste. She sighed and looked towards Diana. "Shall we...?"

The team nodded, and as they walked out of the gate, they suited up, causing Lois and Iris' jaws to drop. Karen smiled at them and cocked her head to the side. Barry gave Iris a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. "I'll be back, I promise. I won't leave you again."

Iris flushed crimson, still awed. Diana turned to Hal. "Let's hope Batman knows what he's doing..."

The four of them streaked towards Gotham.

* * *

**Batman**

Finding Jonathan Crane had been easy enough, but it was difficult to coerce anything out of the man.

Bringing him to the Batcave, Clark set him down in front of Batman, dropping the lanky Doctor in front of the Dark Knight. Bruce heaved the man up by his collars, pushing him against the wall.

"What were you planning to do by angering the public?"

He said nothing, hanging limply, dead eyed. _There is something wrong..._

He stared into the Scarecrow's eyes, and saw there was no trace of anything there. The man looked like a zombie. He turned to Clark and shook his head. "His mind has been tampered with. He had no idea what he was doing."

"So he was being coerced? Why Scarecrow then? Why not anyone else?"

"Because someone is trying to show us that even people we have struggled to defeat in the past can be controlled. Power play. Killing two birds with one stone. Intimidating us as well as fuelling the public lust for anger."

Clark stifled a small smile. "You know, no one actually talks like that. But I suppose Batman has to, huh."

Bruce said nothing, turning to the limp man on the ground. With a swift kick in the ribs, Scarecrow groaned. He picked him up and looked at him. Jonathan Crane flinched, cowering under the bat's glare. "Give. Me. A. Name. Do you know who forced you to do this? Tell us and you can go back to Arkham."

The man spluttered, shivering. "G...Gordon...Gordon Godfrey."

Batman released him, letting Crane fall to the ground with a thump. _Oh no..._

He tensed. Gordon Godfrey was the head of a news campaign against Batman in Gotham city. This had caused plenty of fear to be instilled in the public towards the Dark Knight. Leaving him to be harmless, Bruce had never acted against him. But this next step was drastic even for Godfrey. He had never been so outspoken...and he had somehow managed to convince one of the most dangerous criminals in Gotham City to speak for him. _There is something sinister lurking behind this..._

He turned to Clark, and motioned towards Scarecrow. "Can you take him back to Arkham Asylum?"

Clark nodded. "I'm not your errand boy, though. Don't expect this to be a frequent thing."

Bruce turned to the monitor, which was beginning to show a reading. "Supergirl, Wonder Woman and the others are approaching the city, you better be quick. We don't want another confrontation."

He grimaced and took Crane in his hands, flying out of the batcave. Bruce quickly got into the Batmobile.

* * *

**Superman**

It had taken seconds to toss Scarecrow into the Asylum, and Clark was now flying back. _I have to see what Bruce says to them. _

He kept low, and saw the 4 streaking towards their usual meeting spot with Batman. Landing only a few buildings behind, he kept out of their sight. He heard the roar of an engine and saw the batmobile approaching. His breath hitched as he saw Karen looked sad, as if she was dying from the inside, but she masked her emotions. The others didnt notice, but Clark did. He could tell what a person was feeling, especially if they were someone close to him.

Batman grappled up to the roof of the building and darkly swirled his cape as he landed. Clark could sense the four were wary of Batman's beration at their rashness. Bruce waited until Karen was about to speak.

"Batman-"

"Save It. I warned you, but you disregarded my judgement. I suggest you avoid a repeat. Another attack is imminent, and Jor-El has given me information about Darkseid's power levels. At our current levels, we don't stand a chance."

Wonder Woman gasped. "What do we do?"

The Flash ran around the roof with a blur, creating a gust of wind. He stopped determinedly, raising his fist up in the air. "We get stronger. Train. Learn how to save people more efficiently. Focus on taking down Darkseid. Then Superman will be a cakewalk."

Lantern looked wary. "Are we still going to go after that maniac?"

Karen looked at the group. "Can you all listen to me? Do you know what Superman has forced upon me? Power. And like in Spiderman, with great power comes great-"

Barry interjected. "Responsibility."

"Yes, thank you, Flash." Karen rolled her eyes. "I can't fight a dark overlord with some stupid World Of Warcraft name, just a few months ago I was more bothered about what shoes to wear or something immature and girly...

Now I have to be a part of this team, and I don't feel worthy enough. I lost what I cared about the most, and now I can never have that again. I don't think I should dwell on that too much, even with all this power, I cant describe how he was. I fell for a sunset, and you can't expect the sunset to love you back. Superman has ruined the chance for my happiness, as well as forcing me to participate in something clearly larger than me."

Lantern, who was next to her, clasped her shoulder. "Karen...calm down. Once we take down Darkseid, I promise I will use my ring to find a way that you can go back to normal."

She smiled weakly and gave him a quick hug. "Thank you...I'm so sorry I got a little heated up. We should focus on taking down Darkseid."

Clark, a few buildings away, had a smile on his face. _She has taken her first steps. Conquering fear. She will make a great leader._

His mind wanted to contemplate what she had said about him being a sunset, but he couldnt handle that at the moment. It was an odd sort of feeling, and he didn't understand why he didn't reveal himself. It felt like if he showed himself now, it would ruin the chances for something beautiful to blossom in the future.

Batman spoke next. "Now, there is a metahuman scourge in Central City. I think Flash should train in Central City...his godfather is on the Police Force."

Barry gaped. "How did you-"

"Research. Your identities arent hard to find. I suggest finding a better cover. Perhaps you should go to high school during the day...it will help keep your identities in the dark. If there is an emergency, keep your gear within reach. Train every day in the evenings, and when the attack begins, meet at the Metropolis field. You know which one. Wonder Woman and Green Lantern, take Coast City. Supergirl, Metropolis.

Do not attempt to contact or locate me. I will investigate the media issue. Until then, in public, do not draw attention to yourself.

And Supergirl...I will warn you once. _Dont _go looking for him. You will not achieve anything."

The colourful teenagers all nodded, now determined to become stronger. They all gestured their thanks towards Batman, and he waved it off. "Go."

Three of them streaked away, but Wonder Woman stayed behind. Clark heard Bruce's heartbeat increase. _Well well, Bats..._

Diana spoke. "I wanted to ask you something. How do you know Superman?"

Bruce kept his voice monotonous. "I researched him, after the Metropolis Incident, with Clark Kent."

At the mention of his name, Clark could see Diana tense. "So what did you and _him_ find?"

"It doesn't matter. Just stay out of Superman's way."

Wonder Woman scowled. "You don't have to be so unpleasant all the time, you know? I'm your team-mate, and I think you should learn to work with me. If you can't do that, then don't tell me what I can and can't do."

Bruce hissed. "I apologise..._Princess._"

"Don't call me that."

"Whatever you wish. Now i suggest you go and train as much as you can before you need to go to school tomorrow, _Diana."_

"You can't call me that either."

She scowled at him and disappeared with a blur.

Bruce let out a breath and shook his head.

Clark sighed.

* * *

**A/N- This chapter was mainly filler as I'm having a writers block...Sorry.**

**I still hope you liked it...**

**I am sure the next chapter is going to be better. Pure Batman POV. Investigating Gordon Godfrey (Thank you MegaBatz :) ), and shenanigans when Lantern asks him to train him, as Wonder Woman is surprised at Batman's fighting skill.**

**Let me know what you thought of the chapter!**

**PLEASE REVIEW! **

**I ranted last chapter about reviews so not going to repeat that, but still, same message!**

**THANK YOU FOR READING! :)**


	44. Chapter 43- Revelation

**A/N- Huzzah! I'm Back. Sorry for the lateness, but I suspect that updates will slow down for a while, I have my exams coming up. So maybe once a week, max? Apologies...**

**Anyway, ALEKILE, David, Guthans, DDLo18, Doominator84, and 2 guests, may the force be ever in your favour. Live Long and prosper. :D **

**I present to you, the fourty-third chapter of this story!**

* * *

**Chapter 43- Revelation**

**BATMAN**

On the rooftop of the Godfrey news building, a cloaked ghost was looking for answers. Opening a ventilation vent, Batman jumped inside the building using a laser to open the ceiling. He scanned the area with his enhanced vision, and saw there were no thermal heat signatures. Dropping down to the floor, he rolled towards cover. Hiding behind a metal drawer full of files, he surveyed the area for cameras. Finding none, he stalked over to the office workroom. Adjacent to the workspace, a glint of glass caught his eye, and a board in front of the door which clearly read ** GODFREY. **

Bruce noticed the door was locked, and he quickly began to pick the lock. It was a deadlock seal with over 9 levers inside the mechanism. _I wonder what he's hiding in there..._

He used a sensitive robotic lock pick and the levers slid open slowly, and the door was open. About to step inside, he suddenely hesitated. _Footsteps. _

Quickly scaling the wall, he silently opened a ceiling panel as the lights in the room flickered on. He shut the panel quickly, hoping the intruder was not very observant. The disturbance was a stranger, a elderly woman in her 50's, with deep white hair. _Godfrey's assisstant, I assume. He's got more of them than Kat Grant and Perry White do..._

The woman filed something in the cabinet and slowly scanned the room, almost as if she was suspicious of somebody there. Satisfied that the office was empty, she quickly pulled out a holographic device, and spoke to it.

"Lord Desaad, Godfrey has begun the campaign. Soon, the people of Earth will no longer want protection from this League of Heroes that so eagerly hand out Justice."

"Good. Now with the living Kryptonian blood that will be harvested from _Supergirl_, we will create an army that will allow Lord Darkseid to become invincible. Well done, Granny Goodness."

_I need to find out what is in Godfrey's office._

The old woman shut off the holographic communicator and proceeded to walk towards the office. She placed a hand on the door and it opened. She jerked back suddenely. Turning to the empty room, she shouted out. "Show yourself! I know you are here!"

Bruce tensed. _Damnit. The door. _Taking a deep breath, he quietly moved to the panel above her head. Opening it cautiously, he jumped down from the ceiling and Granny had no time to react as he barrelled into her head, knocking her unconscious. Pulling her limp body into the office, he switched on the lights and fell back in shock. There were Motherboxes melded into the wall, and they were beeping, as if they were about to open. Not wanting to start another fight, he quickly placed several charges on the boxes and tied one box firmly to the old lady.

He leaped out of the window and glided down to the roof of the building nearby. Waiting for the explosion, he was not disappointed as the motherbox tied to Granny Goodness opened up, tearing the side of the building. He watched her limp body pass through the portal and then he pressed the button to activate the charges. The detonation knocked him a few feet backwards. Landing on his toes, he flipped off the towering building, calling the batmobile.

_Time to pay a visit to Gordon Godfrey._

** Godfrey's Residence**

He was silent, a shadow on the precipice of a window. Stalking over to the pane, he eased it open with a swift movement and snuck into the room. The man was motionless, lying in the bed. Batman crept above him and spread his cape behind him, casting an imposing presence.

"Gordon Godfrey."

The man jumped awake with a start. He had a mop of golden hair on his head and an arrogant scowl on his face, and Bruce immediately felt a surge of irritation.

"Batman. Come to interrogate me about Jonathan Crane? I wouldn't bother. I know you won't kill me. But I'll tell you what...I'll let you in on a little secret. You can't stop me."

He smirked cockily and waggled his eyebrows at the spectre in his room. Batman quivered in vexation, thumbing the batarang on his belt.

"Tell me why you want the public against us."

"Oh now, where's the fun in that?"

"What are you trying to do? Discourage heroism?"

"Precisely. Turn people against their heroes...and their defence will shatter. Humanity will be free for harvest."

Bruce narrowed his eyes as he reached the inescapable conclusion that Godfrey wasn't all he seemed.

"How did you manage to destroy Scarecrow's sanity?"

"Simple mental manipulation, Batsy. One of the perks of being from Apokolips. Darkseid thought it would be amusing if one of your greatest enemies was made into a puppet. Do you not realize that you are dealing with powers beyond you, _Batman?_"

"You are not of this world." It wasn't a question. It was merely a statement.

"Did you really think that you were safe after defeating Kalibak? Darkseid wants the Kryptonians blood, and you cannot stop him. Lie down and DIE. He will reward me nicely..."

Bruce took a deep breath. _He is telling me this because he believes that I cannot change anything. False._

He sighed and hooked his arm backwards, and with a sharp jab in the jaw, knocked Godfrey unconscious. Leaving him there, Bruce glided out of the window landing on the batmobile below.

**Batcave- Later**

He had contacted the League and notified them of the media's status, but something still didnt seem right. There were still motherboxes that they didn't know about, and Godfrey was still on the loose. _We need to be prepared. I need to formulate a plan to reverse the motherboxes and send the parademons back to Apokolips before they can attack. _

Quickly analysing the data of the technology, the world's greatest detective set to work, where elsewhere, other heroes were training for the arrival of a threat larger than anything before.

* * *

**SUPERGIRL**

**Karen Starr's Residence- 1 Week Later**

She sighed, opening the door to her room. Her parents had grounded her, not allowing her to leave the house, after she had vanished. More than anything, they were relieved to see her, just like Henry Allen was to see Barry. But the others didn't have the same problems she did. Hal's parents just thought he was doing something special for the government, after he had convinced the president himself to give an explanation to his parents.

Barry only had his father, and Henry Allen was proud of his son. Diana's mother was on Themyscira. So out of the four of them, she was the only superhero who could get grounded. Sighing again, she opened the window and glided out into the night, wearing her Supergirl suit.

The cool wispy air settled her mind and she completely forgot about her irritation at her parents. Absent mindedly flying, she didnt realize she was near Diana's apartment complex until she was above it. Stopping, she surveyed the houses for signs of Diana. _She's not there...probably training, or saving someone from a fire, or something else heroic..._

She felt incompetent. For the past week she had gone to school every day...even though Diana, Hal and Barry had come randomly. In spite of the imminent threat that Batman had warned them about, Karen couldnt focus. She had looked for Clark every day, but he wasn't there, ever. She wanted to think he was off with Batman in Gotham, but a gnawing sensation in the back of her mind thought it was something else. _I'm getting paranoid. Clark's fine._

She spotted Hal flying towards his house and she ducked behind a cloud so he wouldnt see her, but it was futile. He glided over to her and chuckled. "Hey, Karen, you hiding from me?"

"Er..."

"It's okay, I know you were looking for Diana."

Karen felt anxious to leave. Things had gotten awkward after they had revealed themselves to each other, and she didnt know if she felt comfortable with Hal looking at her while she was wearing such a..._tight _outfit.

Nevertheless, she awkwardly smiled and tried to wave him off.

"I really need to go..."

"Where? Is there anything I can help you with?"

_That's nice of him to ask...but he really can't._

"No, that's alright, I should go."

"Yeah...Listen, Karen. I know you're worried about Clark Kent. He'll be fine, don't worry. But we need you to get up to maximum. You are better than this! You deserve someone better."

_You don't understand._

"It's not that easy, Hal. I didn't know what I had until it was gone."

A strange melancholic smile appeared on Hal's face, and she felt sad for him.

"Neither did I..."

She frowned at him, and moved closer.

"Don't worry Hal, you haven't lost her completely. Diana still cares for you. If you still care for her, tell her!"

"I'm not sure I see her in that way anymore. She's...changed. Become more headstrong, powerful. I don't deserve a girl like that."

"You do, Hal...you do. Tell her that you still care...show her that you will always be there for her."

_Because Clark was never there for me...I got my powers, I defeated Kalibak, I battled Superman, and he was never there. Clark Kent was never there for me. Maybe I should realize he isn't the best guy for me._

"I will always be there for her, Karen...And...and you too. Thank you for your advice, but I don't think Diana and I are meant to be."

She grimaced. "Well I'm sorry you feel that way."

He sighed, and looked at her contemplatively for a second. "Goodnight, Karen...I'll...see you around."

She bit her lip, and nodded. "Bye, Hal."

He floated down to his house, and she soared back home, trying to scrutinize her earlier thought of Clark Kent's incompatibility with her.

She didnt notice the red caped man who had been listening to her every word, floating behind the clouds.

* * *

**A/N- Thank you for reading! PLEASE REVIEW! I NEED SUGGESTIONS FOR NEXT CHAPTER!**

**PLEASSSE!**

**I'm thinking I might do a chapter with the World's Finest...with the Holy Trinity in the end. Thoughts? Suggestions? Anything is appreciated :)**


	45. Chapter 44- The Holy Trinity

**A/N- Woohoo! Super long, Super fast paced update.**

**Thank you for reviewing, DDLo18, ALEKILE, Brandon921, ScarletSpeedster, and Photon (I promised at the beginning that I would finish this, not gonna ditch halfway! ;) )**

* * *

**Chapter 44- The Holy Trinity**

**Cuba**

His eyes opened, and he felt a searing pain in his back. A ghastly beast was in the corner of his room, and he felt numb. Sweat ran down his brow as he realised he was trapped. The last thing that he remembered was a portal opening in front of him, and a demonic monster catching him within its claws.

He tried to move, but everything was pinned down. The beast in the corner of his eye snarled and opened the door to his cell. His throat burned, and his eyes were crusty. He struggled to look towards the metallic opening, through which a blond, silky haired man was walking.

"Well well well, here we are at last. I was beginning to think you weren't going to wake up. Do you know that you are the first to ever survive the procedure?"

"What...what procedure?"

"Lord Darkseid will be most displeased to discover that you are awake..."

"Where am I? What is this place?"

"You are in the custody of the Lord Darkseid, and you are the first subject in history to fail processing. Your cells have been tampered with."

He groaned, feeling an injection slipping into his back. Hazily, he remembered the injections his father would give him every week, which contained a glowing blue substance. His father had said they would keep him strong, and free from all diseases. He didnt know how that was possible, but it had now saved his life.

"What are you going to do with me?"

"We are going to engineer you. Make you a perfect warrior before presenting you to Darkseid."

Feeling the cold metal beneath him bend, he was forced to sit up, and he felt a dreadful feeling seeping into his mind. As the structure stopped moving, he looked down at his metallic body, limbs fused to silver technology. He screamed.

* * *

**Wonder Woman**

On the rooftop of one Central City's skyscrapers, stood a forlorn figure.

Diana was burning with impatience. She had gotten a message that Batman had called her here for training, but he hadn't shown up yet. Trying to pacify her scalding irritation, she took several deep breaths, but couldnt seem to compose herself. Agitation increasing, she paced across the roof, but to no avail.

_That bastard is standing me up...how typical._

Sighing, she closed her eyes.

"Waiting for someone?"

Her eyes shot open, and she gaped. "_YOU..."_

Behind her, leaning casually on a precipice was Clark Kent. _I wasn't expecting to see him here..._ She drew her sword and pointed it at him.

"Where is Batman? Karen let you in on this?" She walked towards him, swinging her sword menacingly. _I don't have time for games..._

He flashed her a cocky smile, and she lifted her sword. Merely sidestepping, he rolled and grabbed her sword hand. She felt her grip falter, and she dropped the sword onto the rooftop. _How the hell did he...?_

"You are impatient. Perhaps that was what he was trying to teach you."

"What!? What do you mean? You are in league with Batman?"

He nodded. _Oh...so thats how he did that._

"There is something we need to do, and together. The others cannot know about this. Batman will tell you the details once he arrives. We need to move quickly."

She bit her lip. "What's it about?"

"Okay, I'll give you the short version. The reporter who agitated the public against you was working for Gordon Godfrey, who is working for Darkseid. I believe you've heard of him."

She nodded, frowning.

"Gordon Godfrey...that one Gotham news channel head? He works for Darkseid?"

"Yes, they're from the same planet. Now, leave that. Listen to me. Batman investigated Gordon Godfrey's office, and found portals to Apokolips, Darkseid's planet. Godfrey is still out there, but we cannot act against him. He has safeguards which will trigger the public against us- I mean...your team. So we need your help to follow him through a portal into Apokolips and see what his next move is."

"Why me? Why not Karen or Barry? They are both fast enough." She didnt even consider Hal. _He's way too loud for a stealth mission._

"I don't think Karen will be able to work with me."

"Or maybe you just dont want to man up and face her. How long have you and Bats been working together? A year? More? Is that why you always show up to school looking like death? Maybe you just don't want to tell her that you're a jerk."

"She already knows that. She has other things to do. Her and Hal are beginning to form a great dynamic, and they are powerful together. Training with him will help her."

"Hmph, whatever. Why not Barry?"

"He's only 14. I don't think that going to a hostile world is safe. He is inexperienced in combat as well."

"Fine. I'll work with you. But no more surprises."

He smirked, and she almost jumped as Batman landed behind her. The Caped Crusader gave her a once over and cocked his head towards Clark.

"You called her?"

_Oh you swine...Batman didn't know..._

Clark smirked at her infuriatingly, and she didnt understand why he was smiling. Batman shook his head and turned to her. "Stay low, and stick to the shadows. Clark will monitor our progress from our side of the portal. We need to be quick."

He jumped into his plane, and Clark climbed the ladder into the co-pilot seat. Turning back to look at Diana, he smiled again. _What the hell is he playing at? Is he trying to make Batman and I co-operate? Fat chance. _

She flew after the jet, towards Gotham City.

* * *

**Green Lantern**

**METROPOLIS PLAINS**

"AGAIN!"

He took the brunt of the beam, blocking it with his shield.

"AGAIN!"

He absorbed the energy within the construct and dodged the red hot jet.

Breathing heavily, he glided towards Supergirl. She was also worn out, having trained with him the entire day. Hal smiled at her, and she beamed back. They were both getting stronger now, and they had improved their techniques extensively. They were an efficient team...A powerhouse and a skilled fighter.

Barry was a few miles away, running towards them and then back around, trying to best his previous speeds. Hal saw him approaching, a blur in the distance. Waiting for the right moment, Hal clenched his fists and smirked.

Barry ran into the field, and was met by a giant green mattress. He fell into it face first, breath knocked out of him. Hal broke down, laughing uproariously. He pulled back the construct, and saw his best friend shake his head in agitation. "You alright, Barry?"

"You little shit. I'm gonna kick your ass."

He knelt down to charge at Hal, but the Emerald Knight flew ten feet upwards in the air, still chuckling.

"Now what?"

It was Karen's turn to interfere, and she grabbed Barry by the back of his neck and tossed him into the air towards Hal. She smiled sweetly at the Lantern and giggled.

Barry grabbed onto Hal's arm, mid air, and swung him towards the ground, landing on top of him.

_Ouch. That hurt. _

Hal dusted off his uniform and stood up, eyeing him with an evil look, as he and Karen laughed at his predicament.

Snorting, he turned away, only to have Barry tap him on the shoulder. He turned around to see that he wasn't there. Feeling another tap on his shoulder, he jolted around to see that the Scarlet Devil had vanished yet again. _Urgh...playing games..._

He felt another tap, but ignored it this time, and Barry ran around to face him. "C'mon Hal, let's go! It's almost time for my date with Iris! We need to hurry!"

"Well go ahead then, hotshot, Karen and I will catch up."

Hal nodded towards Karen, who smiled at him. Barry grinned, and gave him a quick brofist. "Seeya later, Green Man!"

_What. An. Idiot..._

Hal smiled, as Karen beamed at him. Together, they took to the skies, Karen with her new found flying ability, taught to her by Jor-El. They flew towards home, smiles on their faces, but hearts heavy with the pain of their memories.

* * *

**Batman**

**GOTHAM CITY**

"Why did you call her here, Clark?"

"You need to work things out with her, Bruce. You can't just not work with her just to deny your feelings towards her."

"What feelings?"

"Nevermind. But we need her help. If it gets heavy, I'll drop in. But we can't do it with just the two of us. We need a lookout. Which I can do well."

"I am aware."

He turned towards the glass window of the batwing, looking at Diana flying alongside them. _She's beautiful. _

Sighing, he touched the plane down on the building adjacent to Godfrey's skyscraper. The wheels set down, and the plane switched off. Bruce jumped out, landing next to Diana. Clark took the slow way out, concealing his powers as best as he could. He saw Diana give him a scrutinizing look, and she gave him a once over.

"Why are you wearing cargo pants and a plastic bag jacket?"

"Uhhh...I like them."

"You look like a boy scout."

"Well, maybe I am one."

"Oh please." She scoffed, turning towards Batman. "Let's get this over with."

The Dark Knight nodded, and looked towards the office. He grappled up to Godfrey's window, and saw the room had been repaired. Spotting a tuft of golden hair in the room, he hid beside the window, motioning to Diana to move towards the portal that was about to be opened. She narrowed her eyes, but reluctantly hid beside him, as a light began to shine in the room.

Clark gave them a thumbs up, and together, they went through the window and into the portal. Bruce took a deep breath, and opened his eyes to an unfamiliar world. _Apokolips._

The pair moved stealthily, keeping low and in the shadows, stalking Godfrey through the metal corridors of the doom planet.

His breath hitched in his throat every time Diana would grab his arm to hide, every time she would crouch inches next to him, her warm vanilla scent intoxicating him. He found it difficult to concentrate, and almost lost sight of the target. But they continued to follow him through. He just hoped Clark would be fast enough for backup...

* * *

**Superman**

The portal didn't close. He had used Kryptonian tech to balance out the wormhole flux, and it was stabilized. He had flown into the room right after Diana and Bruce had gone through, and had set to work. Stabilizing the portal, he quickly set up equipment and within minutes had a fully functional work station. After linking in to Batman's suit interface, he was watching the eye camera's expectantly, waiting for the signal for backup. The area was crawling with parademons, and thermal signatures were giving some _weird _readings.

He kept two fingers on his belt, ready to activate the nanite suit at any moment. The visor was in his pocket, neatly collapsed in to itself. _Diana will not be able to recognize me... _He reassured himself.

Tapping his fingers on the keyboard, he waited.

* * *

**Wonder Woman**

It was odd, working with Batman this closely. She had resolved to figure out the man, but was having a tough time doing it. He rarely let anyone help him, except for Clark Kent, apparently. She wondered what he saw in him.

Ducking behind a tall pillar, she saw Godfrey move towards a room with a glowing blue door. He stepped through it, and stepped out again a second later, seemingly satisfied with something. _There is something in that room. _

She heard a sharp intake of breath next to her, and Batman tensed. "We need to follow Godfrey."

"What is in that room?"

"It doesnt matter. We need to follow Godfrey."

"Tell me what you saw."

"Or what? You'll go and see yourself?"

"Maybe I will!"

She stood up and began to move towards the room, but he caught her arm, pushing a finger to her lips. She felt her cheeks burning as he pointed towards the parademons who were guarding the door. _How did I not notice them? They must have been inside._

He removed his finger and she felt a strange sensation run through her, but she couldnt place what it was. Trying to focus, she saw Godfrey turn right, down the hallway. Moving with a blur, she ran behind him. Batman kept up, moving on the sides of the walls like a...bat.

Reaching behind him, she gasped as he turned into a large room, filled with sleeping parademons. Smiling eerily, he turned and looked directly at her.

_Oh shi-_

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice? Don't worry. You're already too late. Darkseid is about to awaken, and he will begin the incursion on the morn. You thought you had time? Well you were wrong."

She faltered, staring into the soulless, empty eyes of the psychopath. _No..._

"We will stop you."

He snorted. "You and what army?"

She turned back to see that Batman had disappeared, leaving her alone against a room full of monsters. _You jerk._

She drew her sword and clenched her teeth, stepping forward to charge.

There was a flash, and a hiss. Smoke filled the room, blurring her vision. She stepped back, and felt a strong arm grasp hers. It pulled her through the smoke, and out of the room. Her senses re-orientated, and she nodded at the shadow who had saved her.

Batman cocked his head, and looked at her strangely. She held her lasso in one hand and her sword in the other, and pointed at the way they had come.

"Come on! Let's go!"

They ran back, retracing their steps. Passing by the door they had seen earlier, Diana saw Batman press a button on his wrist, and leave a tracking device on the blue entrance.

_What is in that room?_

* * *

**Superman**

Bruce activated the signal, and Clark sprung into action. The suit formed around him, and he tore through the portal, reaching the tracker in seconds. He saw the two running towards the exit, and he held his breath as they passed through it. _Diana didn't see me...Good._

Hovering near the ceiling, he saw the parademons follow the pair through the portal, and he gritted his teeth. _Hold the breach..._

He rushed into the blue light, and he brutally tore off the heads of the demons guarding the door.

His eyes adjusted to the ambience, and he saw a figure in the corner, covered in metal.

_What the hell? What is this torture?_

It was a prisoner, shackled to the metal floor, groaning in agony. Moving fast, he tore off the cuffs, and helped the robot man up. _So this is why Bruce wanted me to investigate this room._

Looking at the face of the cyborg, he felt a flash of recognition, and he gasped. _Victor?_

_Oh my god. They would have tried to convert him, but the drugs that his father has been giving him since birth would have counter-acted the conversion. His cells are incompletely fused to the Apokoliptian tech. I need to get him out of here, he needs help. Karen can use the Fortress' tech to help his pain._

He effortlessly picked Victor up, and rushed towards the portal. He only reached a few feet away, and was met with a fist to the face. He blinked back the pain, and looked at the source of the blow. An ugly, dread-locked colossus with a lust for violence in his glowing red eyes was the culprit. He set Victor down, and faced the alien.

"Lobo's My name. The Main Man. There's a price on your head, Kryptonian. Darkseid's got a fine contract."

He laughed. "Come at me."

A costly mistake, as he felt the blow from a shotgun hit into his chest like a battering ram. He was thrown a hundred feet backwards, and got up as fast as he could. _If this Lobo gets through the portal before I do, He'll kill Diana and Bruce. _

Blasting the Alien with a surge of heat vision, Clark punched his gut while he was distracted. Glancing at Victor on the floor, he saw that he was moving. _Come on...get up. Get through the portal._

Lobo lashed out at his face with a whip, striking his nose with a sharp blow. Groaning, he skidded back, and caught the whip in his hand. Pulling the red-eyed alien towards him, he introduced The Main Man to his fist.

Victor had gotten up, and was looking at the battle happening before his eyes, clearly confused. Clark grabbed Lobo's arm, throwing him into the air, away from the portal.

Quickly grabbing Victor, he tossed him through the portal, hoping he wouldnt be too badly hurt.

Seeing his combatant flying back towards him, he spun on his heels, firing a quick burst of heat vision. Glancing back, he saw Batman and Wonder Woman come through the portal. Relief passed through him, and he saw Batman throw an explosive batarang at Lobo's head. It knocked him downwards, and he landed with a crash.

Diana glanced at him, but decided Lobo was the bigger threat. The three of them ran towards the dreadlocked alien, and he tried to back off, but to no avail. Clark punched him upwards, and Diana knocked him back downwards, right onto Batman's arm blades.

Lobo merely guffawed in mirth, as if he was enjoying the fight. Wiping blood from his mouth, he looked at Diana appreciatively. "You know, A Vixen like you could do well with the Main Man."

Batman's eyes narrowed into slits, and Clark heard his heartbeat increase. Lobo drew a heavy gun, and pointed it at Bruce. "Whats she doin with a fool like you? Time to die!'

He pulled the trigger, and Clark had barely any time to react. Moving as fast as he could, he snatched the bullets out of the air, and punched Lobo square in the nose with a shockwave of force. The Main Man was reduced to a pile of goo on the floor. Diana raised her eyebrows, and he had to admire the plain awe clearly written on her face.

Bruce quickly back-flipped towards the portal, and Clark and Diana flew towards it.

The three of them passed through, and Clark quickly smashed the stabilizer. The portal began to shrink, and vanished into nothingness.

Taking a long look at Victor, on the floor, he took a deep breath. "**Take him to Kara Zor-El. To the Fortress."**

Diana drew her sword, as if she was about to attack him, but Batman kept a hand on the hilt. "No."

She sighed, still seething with irritation. Clark rushed out of the window, quickly changing back into his normal clothes and entering the office from the other side.

"Are you alright?"

Diana gave him an irked look. "We are fine. Where the hell were you?"

"I was checking for intruders."

"_Whatever. Piss off."_

She flew out of the window, towards Metropolis, obviously to warn the others of the Incursion.

He looked at Victor, and then at Bruce.

"Get him to Karen. I have something that I need to do."

"What?"

"I have an invasion to stop."

He set a hand on the portal, and reactivated it with the Kryptonian tech. The portal shimmered to life.

"Clark, that's suicide."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Wayne."

He stepped through the portal as it closed.

* * *

**A/N- Cliffhanger? Sort Of. Anyway, what did you think of the chapter? It's quite long, but fast paced. It might feel a bit rushed to you, and I apologize for it. I hope you liked it regardless...**

**So Superman is going to be out of the picture for most of the incursion, eh...What do you think?**

**Oh, and what about the BM/WW? It's leading up to something big, isn't it? Imagine the reveal...**

**Please REVIEW! Feeedbaccckkkk. I do deliver, you can see...**

**Next chapter, the team prepares for the upcoming battle and tends to Victor's condition...**

**Flash POV...? Or someone else's? Please leave a suggestion. **


	46. Chapter 45- Gods That Only Take

**A/N- Woohoo, Like promised. Once a week minimum. :)**

**Lovely reviews! Thank you ALEKILE, DDLo18, My Name Is Oliver Queen, Brandon921, David, Emerald Archer, and 2 guests! :) **

* * *

**Chapter 45-Gods That Only Take**

**Wonder Woman**

Diana set Victor down on the nanite bed, flinching as he struggled to breathe. Karen wordlessly in-putted the commands to recalibrate the Apokoliptian tech melded to their friend. Batman was standing in the corner, silently working on his batarangs, utilizing the Kryptonian technology within the fortress. Barry and Hal were standing by Victor, frowns on their faces, nervously cracking their knuckles. Diana took a deep breath and tried to focus. _There is an invasion imminent. We need to work fast...try and find a way to defeat Darkseid without a direct battle._

She turned to Batman while the nanites synced with Victor. _How many of us are going to suffer? Karen...Victor...Hal...they have all seen so much pain. Who are we to stop the might of Apokolips? Why can't I just give up...once. _

She looked at Batman, and felt a tingle of inspiration run through her as she saw him work. _He is just a man. He has no superpowers. Yet, he fights on. What is he made of...? He shuts himself off from the team, empathy, emotion...What does that make him? He is no ideal, but he is a hero. Maybe to defeat the odds, we shouldnt consider them._

The Dark Knight looked up from the batarang he had modified, and glanced towards Diana. She looked down suddenly, afraid of her new-found admiration of the brooding shadow. He looked at her contemplatively, and then he spoke.

"We need to move. Fast. There is no way to stop the attack before it happens, its too late for that. But we have to be ready."

Hal nodded, and walked over towards him. Holding up his ring, Hal looked towards Karen, and grimaced. Looking back at Batman, he took off his ring and kept it next to the batarang.

"We can't stop this."

Karen pressed her belt, and her suit folded in on itself, compressing into a red strip around her waist. Barry removed his cowl and kept his hand on Victor's fluttering chest, sadness marred onto his features.

"We were supposed to have more time."

An imposing dread set over the room, and all became quiet. Fear hung in the air like a stench, and Diana's stomach turned. She bit her lip and looked over at Batman, who was still standing stubbornly.

"I'm not going out without a fight. Clark Kent wont either..."

He turned and strode out of the fortress, leaving the forlorn atmosphere of the room. Diana followed him, and watched as he got into his Batwing. He had some odd nervous energy which was unlike him. It was almost as if he was worried for them. He hesitated, and glanced down at her from the cockpit. She met his eyes, and saw nothing in those white slits except determination.

_He is the most stubborn person I have ever met...well...except maybe Bruce Wayne._

She felt an odd urge to warn the Gothamite billionaire about the impending attack, but then realized that Clark would already have done that. _Hmph...Clark Kent and his two best friends...Bruce Arrogant Wayne, and Bat-stubborn-man. _

She turned towards the fortress, and walked back inside, not looking at the black plane flying away. As she entered the room, she saw Karen gritting her teeth in anger, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Hal was holding his ring in his hand, staring at it darkly. Barry was sitting beside Victor, looking at his friend with sadness in his eyes.

Feeling a burst of adrenaline rush through her suddenly, Diana drew her sword and walked over to Hal. Twirling it around, she lifted it above her head.

"DEFEND YOURSELF!"

She brought it down with a rush of speed. Instinctively, The Green Lantern slipped on his ring and created a shield construct. Pushing her backwards, the Emerald Knight's uniform formed around him, and he looked down at it.

Diana spun her sword in her hand.

"What does that mean, Hal? What do you fight for? The colour of WILL. You are a GREEN LANTERN. YOU DEFEND THIS SPACE SECTOR AND ITS INNOCENTS. YOU WILL DO YOUR DUTY!"

She saw him quiver with emotion, and he clenched his fists. Karen pressed the button on her belt, the Kryptonian symbol on her chest glinting in the light.

"What does that symbol mean, Karen? HOPE. You told us yourself. I have SEEN what Kryptonians are capable of. Do not squander your abilities because you lost hope. You are meant to fight for it, not lose it!"

Diana saw Karen look at her feet shamefully. An image of Batman flickered in the back of her mind, and she turned to Barry.

"Barry Allen. You are fast enough to run away. You can keep running all your life, but guilt will always catch up. You cannot let people die. Think about your dad! Think about Iris! Do you want them to die?! We have something to fight for! WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WE LOVE! Yet, even though we have powers, we choose to fall?"

There was a jolt of noise, and Victor Stone sat up. The room became quiet yet again, the four of them fixed upon their friend.

He took ragged, uneven breaths, and looked at them. "Where am I!?"

Barry clasped his shoulder. "You are safe, Vic. We aren't going to let you get hurt again."

The robotic teenager held his face in his hands. "What...What did they do to me!? What have I become?"

It was Karen who responded. "They wouldve killed you...but you escaped. How did you do that, Vic?"

"It was...It was a man. A man with that same symbol on his chest." He pointed at the _**S. **_

Diana was shocked, yet again, by the utter psychopath that was Superman. His behaviour was mysterious, his motives unclear...Setting that aside, she looked at Karen, who was speaking.

"He wanted to hurt another person, by forcing responsibility on them! Superman is dangerous, Vic! Did he do anything else?!"

"No, he didnt. He saved my life, Karen..."

She opened her mouth to retaliate, but a sudden zap of electricity arced through the air, running from the Fortress' floor through Victors machinery.

Barry let out a yelp, and shouted at the hologram which had appeared after the shock.

"What the hell was that!?"

"I am Jor-El. You are Barry Allen. Karen has told me about you."

"What did you do to Victor!?"

"He is synchronized with Apokoliptian technology. He can help stop Darkseid's forces. If he suffers from trauma, that will not help us. I have transferred memory impulses from the fortress core. He is now fully aware of what is going on."

Diana tapped her foot nervously. "Jor-El, he is in no condition to fight."

The hologram smiled, and motioned to Victor, who was heaving himself upwards. Standing straight, Diana got a good look at the cybernetic implants and the massive changes they had created. He was now as tall as Hal, and built like a colossus. The red eye that flickered in his socket was constantly twisting, like a Terminator. This machine/human was frightening, and Diana felt empathy to Victor's situation.

But he decided otherwise. He was concentrating, and the machinery set into motion, giving him weapons. His arm became a cannon, and a rocket booster grew on his back, made of Kryptonian nanites. He absorbed the Nanites in the room and turned them all into an arrangement of weapons. Like a messenger of death, he roared out as four extra, pure mechanical arms burst out of his back. Six armed like a demon from Hindu mythology, Victor Stone glared around the room.

Hal was wide-eyed at this display, and glanced towards Barry, who was smiling.

A deep, robotic rumble echoed throughout the room. "Revenge. Desaad and his minions are going to die... I will help you take down Darkseid, and then we will kill him painfully. Together, we will finish this fight before any more have to suffer."

Diana saw Barry put his cowl on, and he looked towards Victor and nodded. "Okay then. Who's up for catching a bat?"

Four figures soared out of the fortress, following a streak of red on the ground below them.

* * *

**Superman**

He flew towards the tallest building on Apokolips, the throne room of the most feared being in the universe. There were wails of death stark in the air. Parademons followed him only to be annihilated by a surge of infernal fire from his eyes, and he felt a stillness in his mind, though there was anger in his body.

_I will end this. Not with a fight. With a sacrifice._

Determination fuelling his lust for melancholy, he screamed out as he forcefully tore the wings of a beast. The skies were turning black and dense with the number of parademons surrounding him, but he pushed through. They couldnt hurt him...

He unleashed a torrent of flame upon the insipid threats, nearing the spire of the tower. Tossing one of the beasts back towards the others, he let it crash into the group. Landing on the balcony, he sensed a presence in the room which was frightful and large. The demons were not following him ahead. _They are afraid..._

He ignored the anxiety threatening to break out, and marched forward into the massive area. Seated in front of him was the dark lord of Apokolips. Darkseid. Kneeling before him was the red-eyed, dread-locked bounty hunter he had fought before.

Gritting his teeth, he modulated his vocal chords to boom across the chamber.

"_**DARKSEID. I AM KAL-EL OF KRYPTON. I COME TO END THIS WAR."**_

He knew why he chose Kal-El instead of Clark Kent. The house of El was known to Darkseid...It was one of Krypton's most esteemed. This was his first move in the game of chess.

"**YOU CANNOT FIGHT ME, MORTAL. I AM DEATH ITSELF."**

"_**I HAVE NOT COME TO FIGHT. I ONLY WISH TO STOP THE INVASION OF EARTH."**_

He saw Lobo chuckle, as if that were an amusing prospect. The bounty hunter was quickly silenced with a glance from the dark dictator.

"**WHAT IS IT THAT YOU OFFER..."**

"_**MY BLOOD. I KNOW WHAT IT IS YOU REQUIRE. TAKE IT. CREATE YOUR PERFECT ARMY...BUT LEAVE EARTH IN PEACE. THAT IS MY CONDITION."**_

Darkseid laughed, and Clark's blood froze. _He will take it...He will take it...He must._

"**YOU OFFER YOURSELF WILLINGLY...HOW PITIFUL TO SEE THE MIGHT OF KRYPTON REDUCED TO SUCH A STATE."**

"_**DO NOT TAKE THIS AS WEAKNESS. I AM NO COWARD. I DO NOT DO THIS FOR MYSELF, BUT FOR MY PLANET."**_

"**WHY SHOULD I AGREE? I AM A GOD."**

Clark felt unbridled anger swirl through his bloodstream, but he held back. _My parents told me that god is good. Gods are kind. This is no god. THIS IS NO GOD._

"_**SHOW MERCY THEN, DARKSEID. THERE IS NO NEED FOR GODS THAT ONLY TAKE."**_

The ominous booming laugh resounded through the air once more, but this time, Clark didnt flinch.

"**YOU ARE A FOOL, KAL-EL, AND YOU WILL DIE...I WILL DESECRATE YOUR PRIMITIVE PLANET AND THEN, I WILL USE YOUR BLOOD TO CREATE AN ARMY THAT WILL SCOUR THE UNIVERSE FOR MY EQUATION OF ANTI LIFE. I WILL CRUSH THE GUARDIANS OF OA, AND THE FORCES OF NEW GENESIS. BECAUSE OF YOU, I WILL POSSESS A POWER UNLIKE ANY OTHER. **

**NOW, CZARNIAN, BRING HIM TO ME."**

Lobo swung his chain around, and threw it at Clark. Sidestepping, he caught it with his hand and pulled Lobo towards him. Cracking the Czarnians skull, he threw him at Darkseid's feet.

"_**ALWAYS FORCING OTHERS TO DO WHAT YOU CANNOT YOURSELF. YOU ARE NO GOD. CONSIDER THIS A WARNING, DARKSEID. EARTH WILL NOT GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT. WE HAVE A LEAGUE. JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED. YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE. NOW, YOU WILL ATONE FOR IT."**_

"**WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN ESCAPE, MORTAL?"**

Clark stepped down on the ground, creating cracks spiralling into the floor of the room. Darkseid stood up, towering over him like Goliath. The dark lord's eyes glowed red, and Clark took a deep breath, waiting for the beam to strike.

The laser cut through the air like a snake, searing into his flesh. Pain surged through him, and he struggled to remain conscious. Darkseid floated over to him and grabbed him by the cape. Blinking back the hurt, he composed himself, trying not to struggle.

The Apokoliptian tossed him towards the side of the room like a sack of potatoes. Scrambling away, he felt a kick on his back, and he rolled forwards. Crawling desperately, he felt another burst of pain as Darkseid fried him with the rays again.

Crying out in agony, he felt his mind blur, and it raced back to the same situation. It had happened before...

Before Clark had his powers...

His father...

He remembered feeling the same pain, trying to crawl away, but the remorseless emotional torture continuing through blows.

_I was strong then...I am strong now. I remain strong because I know the value of kindness and mercy. _Karen's face flickered in his mind.

_Of Love..._

He felt another kick, but this time, it didnt hurt as much.

Pushing himself forwards, he stood up, stopping the next blow. Darkseid's foot was in his hands, and Clark gripped it tightly, pushing up with all his strength. The giant toppled, and fell. Flying forwards, he unleashed all his energy with a hurricane of heat vision, melting Darkseid's armor. But the behemoth was fazed, and merely got up again, preparing to fire another blast.

Giving him no time to react, Clark cracked the floor in a blast of force, and rocketed into the atmosphere of the planet.

Looking back, he saw that he had momentarily bought himself some time. Quickly looking to the stars, he tried to spot familiar constellations, and began to panic. _I dont know where I am._...

Almost quivering, he saw Darkseid closing in.

Shutting his eyes, he let the energy of the Apokoliptian star revitalise him. Opening them, he saw his fate a mere mile beneath him. Gritting his teeth, he looked to the stars, and towards home.

Mustering as much force as he could, he yelled out, pushing through the vacuum of space with speeds that rippled gravity.

The planet quickly disappeared from his sight, and he flew through the void with a heavy heart. He was lost, and was running out of time. He had escaped Darkseid, but had to reach Earth before the Invasion began. _How am I going to do that!?_

He kept flying, racing past stars and solar systems, trying to find the Milky Way. Even with his enhanced vision, he couldnt seem to find anything familiar.

Cursing himself, he came to a quick decision. Turning back towards Apokolips, he gritted his teeth in irritation. _Fine then. I'll go to Earth the same way that Darkseid will._

* * *

**A/N- So...how was that chapter? Properly written? Not as fast paced as the last one...Is that good or bad?**

**What do you think of Cyborg? I tried to make him look frightening...like Asura, from Asura's Wrath (Great Game, Underrated extremely, and the story is amazing!) If you want a better picture of what the six armed Cyborg looks like, just google Six Armed Vajra Asura. Brutal.**

**What did you think of Superman's escapade? Good/Bad?**

**PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! FEEDBACK IS LOVED! MORE REVIEWS=QUICKER UPDATES+MORE BM/WW!**


	47. Chapter 46- Something To Fight For

**A/N- Sorry for the delay...**

**Thank you, Doominator84, DDLo18, CrazyPhenom, akashadowcat, and David for reviewing! :)**

**Quick chapter here, sorry for the short length...**

* * *

**C****hapter 46-Something To Fight For**

**The Flash**

Barry caught up to the batwing, the others in the air behind him. Batman slowed the throttle down over the ice, and set the jet down. Opening the cockpit, he stared at the five figures expectantly.

"Have you changed your mind?"

Barry nodded, smiling at the Caped Crusader, removing his cowl. "I will fight with you." He looked towards Karen, who was standing towards the front of the others. She grimaced. "As will we."

Batman gave the six armed Victor Stone a once over, and his eye slits narrowed in approval. Victor flinched under the bat glare, and Barry saw Diana give a small smile.

Hal smirked cockily. "Well then. Six of us against an army. How are we doing up there, Batsy?" The Dark Knight stood up on the planes wing, and looked towards Karen. _Is he waiting for her to say something?_

Supergirl bounced nervously on her toes, but then finally understood the look that she was recieving. Barry smiled as she took a deep breath and spoke.

"We need to hold the breaches. Vic, you and Barry find a way to close the portals efficiently, Diana, Hal and I will hold back the attack."

Batman nodded his approval and then spoke, his low voice almost inaudible over the howling cold wind. "We need to find Darkseid's weaknesses, locate his blind spots, draw his attention away from the cities."

_We need to move quickly. _Barry quickly wore his cowl again, and looked at the ice. There was a long crack that permeated the layers, creating an intricate pattern of immense beauty. To him, it resembled Iris' eyes, a light blue. _I won't let them take her. I have something to fight for._

He looked up at Karen, who was also looking down at the ice, lost in the branching cracks. She looked like she was remembering something as well, and he remembered Clark Kent's eyes were a pale blue also. _She has something to fight for as well. We all do. _

Diana gripped his hand, and smiled. He clasped Hal's shoulder in reassurance, and The Emerald Knight also smiled weakly. Karen looked up and bit her lip nervously. Victor looked into the distance, a lost look in his eyes.

A tremor passed through the ground, and the sky turned cloudy and dark for a moment. _It is about to begin...earlier than we ever thought..._

The ice began to fracture, and Batman jumped into the Batwing, as Barry determinedly eyed his teammates. Hal's expression grew thoughtful, and he raised his eyebrows as he asked, "Are you gus ready for this? Because I'm sure not."

Barry took a deep breath, and a wide grin grew on his face. "This started on that one faithful night so very long ago, and now we are bringing Justice to the darkest of evils. We aren't kids anymore. We are a team. The world's greatest heroes, and the only ones who can save it."

He felt goosebumps on his arms, not just because of the cold, but because he felt the emotional energy change in the air. Something shifted, and it was the mark of a beginning. _If we make it out of this, we would have started something so much bigger than any of us. This is beyond me, or any ONE of us. This team will bring in a new era of heroes, and change the world permanently._

The silence was strengthening, and Barry looked to the darkening horizon. Digging his heels into the ice, he pushed off with a sonic boom, tearing across the water, towards land.

He glanced back, and saw the others behind him, following from the skies above.

Pushing their speed to the limits, they reached Metropolis within the hour, and began preparing for the upcoming battle.

Diana, Victor and Batman were trying to find a way to shut down all the motherboxes simultaneously, using Victors robotic interface. The metal boy had a transfixed, hard look on his face, out for blood. Barry could tell that he would probably rip his captors in two if he got the chance. The other two were talking something in low voices, about Superman. Barry could hear snippets of sentences, and it looked like Wonder Woman was saying the Kryptonian was working for Darkseid. Batman was disclaiming her words, but she was still out for his blood.

He looked towards Karen and Hal, who were staring at the skies, waiting for a portal to open. Karen was holding his hand, clearly nervous. _Those two are a really great team..._

An ear splitting cry tore through the air, and all of them looked to the skies. A light flickered and a colossal _boom _was heard, resounding across the countryside.

Other portals opened up above the city, and the skies turned black over the water, and something stirred in the depths.

_So it begins..._

* * *

**Superman **

He stayed in the shadows, watching as the demons loaded enormous ships and devices near the portals which were about to open. An enraged Darkseid had ordered the invasion begin immediately. Sneaking back onto the planet had been simple, but getting back to Earth was going to be a problem. He had to wait for the first portal to open, and then he would make his move.

Lobo had regenerated yet again, and was overseeing the proceedings, expectantly waiting for the incursion to commence. He had a fire in his eyes, and he was lusting for Clark's blood.

_I will end him for good. I'll throw him into the sun...Along with Darkseid and all his evil pestilence. _

Clenching his fists tightly, he waited for the first portal to open. Light and gravity swirled around it as it tore open with a burst. Biding his time, he watched as the first wave of parademons flew into the light. Other portals were prepared, and Lobo swung his chain angrily.

Hiding behind a terraforming machine, he glided upwards near the nose of the ship, and crouched down. He surveyed the landscape and saw that there were over a hundred portals about to be opened, and thousands of parademons were flocked around them. _So few against so many thousands...how will we ever win? _

But he had hope. He wouldnt lose that. It was what the symbol on his chest meant. _Hope. _The light in the darkness, the force that drives change, the Ideal to strive towards. He was Superman, the protector of the innocent, the defender of truth. Darkseid would not destroy his world. _I sware upon the Last Light of Krypton. _

Cracking his knuckles, he dived off the nose of the machine, and soared through the portal, whizzing past the demons. Opening his eyes, he saw where he was, and let out a gasp. _Skies over Metropolis..._

* * *

**A/N- I am sorry for the short length, I just have my finals coming up, so not much time to write.**

**I still hoped you liked this somewhat filler chapter...**

**There is a lot of setup happening for the War, and I promise you, when it happens, It will be amazing. Because I have a _LOT _of ideas. This story still has a lot to go, and I am so sorry if you think its losing steam. I will pick up the pace (Of the story) and finish it. I have no intention of quitting.**

**And if you think I am rubbish at writing Romance, you should see the other project I've started...(Inheritance Cycle fanfic) **

**Maybe that'll give you an idea of how the BM/WW will be in this story...**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	48. Chapter 47- Alike

**A/N-Hehehe? Okay, I know, I am a jerk. Please have mercy?**

* * *

**Chapter 47- Alike**

**Wonder Woman**

Diana charged, slicing apart the incoming parademons with vigour, tossing a few backwards with her lasso for Hal and Karen to barrel through. Barry was hard at work getting people to safety away from the gigantic towers that were gradually rising above the ground, thousands of demons flying through them.

She yelled out, taking to the skies, ramming straight through the center of the cloud of swarming beasts. She made it halfway before they hit her with a torrent of blasts and energy, and she fell to the ground, cracking the pavement.

She saw a shadow flutter over her and grab her wrists, grappling her to the rooftop of a building. She groaned, and stood up. Batman shook his head, motioning towards Victor, who was roaring in anger, the demonic hybrid of man and machine. He was tearing the demons apart with his bare hands, using his six mechanical arms like a whirlwind of fists. "There are too many of them just to barrel through, Diana. We need to formulate a plan of attack before Darkseid makes an appearance."

She nodded grimly, glancing at her teammates on the ground beneath them. Barry, getting people to safety as fast as he could, Hal and Karen leading the power play upfront, and Victor, on the ground, a hulking mass of rage. They were working, but not together. She opened her mouth to yell out when a portal opened above the tallest of the terraforming skyscrapers. The dreadlocked colossus they had fought before was hovering above it on what appeared to be some sort of space chopper motorcycle. She gripped her sword tightly, her eyes narrowing to slits, but before she could move, the bounty hunter Lobo was gone, and a whoosh of wind went through the air.

She looked up in the sky, and saw a streaking blur, slowly dimming. _Is that Lobo? Or is it a bird? A Plane?_

She squinted, and saw a small streak of red, pushing the Main Man into the outer edges of the atmosphere. _No...its-_

Batman grabbed her arm, and pushed her aside, as a battalion of parademons landed on the roof. She ducked for cover, and watched the Dark Knight do what he did best. He was like a knife in the dark, a shadow of fear that even the demons from hell feared. The beasts were wailing, glancing around, never expecting where he would attack. But when he did, they were down in seconds. The explosion of a batarang made his cape move behind him as he walked over to her.

Touching his earpiece, he signalled to the team. "Regroup"

Within moments, they were all on the roof, looking for Batman's instructions. Victor had a vengeful look on his face, one thirsting for blood. _Poor guy...he needs his revenge. He deserves it. It's the least we can do for him. _She glanced at him, and felt a tingle run down her spine, ice cold. He looked like the demons...Even scarier. It was unnerving. Hal opened his mouth to say something, but the sky split and a massive portal peeled open, thousands upon thousands of Parademons flying through. _This is it...he's here. _

She saw Karen glance at her nervously, and clutch Hal's hand, who was equally nervous. She saw Barry and Victor nod at each other reassuringly and she looked over at Batman, who's eyes were nothing but slits. He wasn't looking towards her, but she knew that he could sense her glances. She tensed, waiting for the wave to hit.

The last thing she felt before passing out was a burst of fire, and a swarm of demons above her...and someone yelling out her name as they snatched her from the roof.

**Green Lantern**

He flew after the swarm of demons that had taken Diana, yelling out in anger. The portal was overhead, with a black mass streaming out of it, and as Hal neared it, his eyes widened in shock.

There must have been atleast fifty thousand...It was suicide to go after her. _Without Karen's help. With her, I could barrel through this. _

He flew back down, firing a missile from his ring, clearing him a path. The five of them on the roof could barely hold back the massive flow of beasts, and even at maximum power, his ring wasn't strong enough to hold them all back. He created a temporary shield around him and Batman.

"We have to go after her!"

The Caped Crusader strode over to him and shook his head.

"Lantern, No."

"Then get out of my way, Batman."

"There are too many of them, you idiot."

"I can handle this. Get out of my way!"

He took down the shield, but Batman clasped his arm.

"You're going to die."

"Then I die!"

"What are you trying to prove?"

"I'm not trying to prove anything, you phenomenal _douchebag. _Don't act like you know me. You don't. You don't know what she means to us."

"We're just somewhat...alike."

"We're nothing alike."

"We are fighting alongside a half alien, an amazon, a cyborg and a speedster. As far as I can tell, Hal, you and I are the only normal one's here."

"Who said you could call me by my name?"

Batman stepped forward, and Hal flinched, barely maintaining the shield around the them. His eyes widened as the Dark Knight lowered his cowl, to reveal the face of Gothamite asshole number one...Bruce Wayne.

"You...you son of a bitch." Denial was the first phase, but it wasn't possible for him to be someone else. Hal couldnt come to grips with the fact that the arrogant prick he had wanted to punch for YEARS was actually the most feared and respected vigilante in the world.

Bruce smirked, and put the cowl backwards, tying his cape around his waist. "Lower your shields, we have to do this quietly" Hal, still dumbstruck, didnt notice that he had spoken, and blinked a few times. And suddenly...everything fell into place. _He cares for her...Diana...He cares enough about her to reveal his identity to me, just for my help...We are __**very**__ alike. We both care about the same girl, though I differently than he does. Maybe its time for me to let go..._

He momentarily glanced at Karen, and smiled as she ferociously punched through a parademon's skull. Quickly lowering the shield, he nodded, following Bruce down the building. An abandoned jacket lying on the pavement was tattered and torn, but still, the Gothamite picked it up and put it on, as well as a cap. He pulled off the ring and kept it in the pocket of Hal's jeans, whispering. "Keep it safely, you're going to need it where we're going."

"Where are we going?"

Bruce whistled, a sharp noise ringing through the night, attracting two burly parademons, which proceeded to pick the two of them up. "Oh..."

Hal looked down towards their teammates on the rooftop, and saw Karen spot them up in the air. She cried out, and flew towards them as fast as she could. _Oh no..._

Bruce and his demon went through the main portal, but Hal's wailed out to several hundred others, who were heading straight for Supergirl. She roared and used her heat vision, tinged blue with the intensity, to cut them all in half, as she approached the portal with blistering speeds.

There was a rush of wind as she stopped midair, eyes widening in fear. From the portal above Metropolis, was emerging the Lord Of Apokolips...Darkseid himself.

* * *

**A/N- Can't promise quick updates, but this is going to be finished, do not worry. **

**I did say I would update frequently, but that didnt happen...So...sorry?**

**One promise I WILL keep is that this is DEFINITELY going to have that little complete icon someday. This, and my other story, which people have gone rabidly, batshit crazy over. So if you read both of them, then you're in luck, because there WILL be an update coming...**

**Soon...(S-fully?)**

**(If you didnt get that, on my world, It means hope-fully)**

**REVIEW? You don't have to review stories written by jerks like me... :( **

**But anyway, please do...**


	49. Chapter 48- Apokolips

**Chapter 48- Apokolips**

Karen flinched and fell backwards towards the ground, but moments before crashing, she felt Hal's arms around her. Breathing out, she jumped out of his grip and landed on the ruined street, where the league was grouped. Glancing around, she noticed that Batman was missing, and as was Wonder Woman. Only her, Barry, Hal and Victor were left.

Hal sized up the giant hovering above the buildings. "I'm guessing that's the bad guy?"

Victor snarled. "Lucky guess."

Cruelly looking down at them, Darkseid smiled. _**"I am Darkseid, Lord of Apokolips. Kryptonian...Give yourself to me."**_

Karen scoffed, even though her legs were shaking. "Like HELL!"

A sadistic grin appeared on the tyrants face as he released a wave of energy, crumbling the buildings on the street. The four of them were caught in the blast, and were knocked back with an enormous force.

Barry had jumped out of the way just in time, but had still knocked his head against something, hard. He held his head. "Owww..." Looking up at Darkseid, he saw his eyes tinted red, about to release a wave of energy. "NO! STOP!"

He frantically looked around. "Uh...guys? Anyone awake yet? Im not that good at making chitchat!"

Victor punched through the rubble with his six arms, and roared in anger. Darkseid released the beams of energy, and Barry rocketed away from them, Victor on his tail. The metal man was using his energy thrusters to move as fast as possible, but Barry could see that he was not going to be able to avoid them. He took a deep breath as he was running and prepared himself for what he was about to do. _They cant beat Darkseid without Vic, he's the only one who can talk to their tech and shut down the boom tubes..._

Faster than thought, he pushed him aside and took the full brunt of the beams, his suit almost disintegrating. He flopped on the ground, unconscious, barely alive. Victor yelled out, but no one heard him. Darkseid laughed, but did nothing, turning and walking towards the rubble where Karen was buried.

_NO! If he gets her, he wins! _Leaping forward, he struck Darkseid's jaw with pure brute force, breaking two of his own six arms. Shrugging off the blow, the giant crushed his chest with one hand, constricting what was left of him, making it difficult to breathe.

Almost passing out, he was freed by a blue blur, Supergirl punching him out of Darkseid's grip. Hal burst out of the ground, covered in dirt, but alive. The three of them stood back to back, as Darkseid sent a wave of parademons towards them. Hal gripped Karen's hand momentarily for reassurance, and she nodded and smiled at him. Victor roared and grew out his two arms that he had shattered, stretching them outwards as if beckoning the monsters.

* * *

**Apokolips**

Bruce jumped on top of the demon and stabbed into its back with his arm blades, guiding it towards a closed off landing strip. It was deserted...All the demons had flown through the portal. He snuck towards a laboratory, and gasped when he saw Diana strung up against the wall, being tortured. Unbridled rage coursed through his senses.

Desaad was sadistically slicing her arms with a thin blade, revelling in the blood. "The hives on earth were ill-equipped to process your flesh, but what a pleasure it is to cut it and cut it again."

Bruce dropped down, onto Desaad's skull, fracturing it in the process. Diana cried out in pain, and he quickly unstrung the panels inner workings, releasing her from the torture device. She fell into his arms, looking up at him with such adoration that he felt his heart melt. He wanted to hold her and never let her run away from him again, but now was not the time for that.

She took rapid breaths, standing up straight and on shaking legs. "I saw...I saw death. I saw pain. I saw my friends being killed. Everyone...all of them. Hal, Karen, Vic, Barry...and Bruce..."

He wanted to kiss her right then, but the portal shook, Lobo and Superman tearing through it with immense speed, locked in combat. Diana pulled him down to a platform below the strip, not wanting to interfere in the clash of the titans.

The Main Man forced Clark on his back, tossing his body carelessly across the strip. "You're not so strong now, are you, _Superman? _This is Apokolips. The walls are fire, and the ground is death. The skies pour blood and the clouds are acid. There is no SUN, here. Do you feel it? You are WEAK. You burnt out all that solar energy last time you were here. And your friends arent going to help you this time!"

He kicked Clark's face, and Diana winced as the blow shattered his nose. Lying on the ground, weak and pale, she almost felt sorry for him, but then only shocked, as he pushed himself up. Holding his arms in front of his face, blood dripping down his nose, he smiled.

"I could do this all day."

She felt Batman vanish from next to her, and jump up on the landing strip.

"You won't have to"

Lobo, albeit shocked, was quick to respond, throwing a chain towards Batman's feet. He jumped over it and spread his cape, gliding down onto the bounty hunters face. Lobo staggered, but gripped Bruce's feet, smashing him downwards. Feeling vertebrae about to crack, he jumped up and threw a batarang point blank, to no effect.

Lobo chuckled, about to crush both Batman and Superman, only to feel cold metal between his ribs.

Diana sheathed her sword. "Boys...you never share. You could have asked for my help, Batman."

"You were just being tortured."

"I can handle myself...I'm a big girl." Diana flashed a grin.

She helped him up, and glanced at the staggering Superman, who was limping towards a motherbox, lying on the ground. She contemplated stabbing him as well, but Batman gripped her hand, which was resting on her sword. "No."

She scoffed. "Let's go kick Darkseid's ass."

He didnt let go of her hand as they went through the portal, and couldnt help but feel that maybe he didnt want to either.

* * *

**A/N- Sorry for the delayed updates, I've been really busy...**

**But a promise is a promise, and this story WILL be finished.**

**We're approaching the climax, and things are tense. A teenage Justice League is going to have a MAJOR problem taking down A GOD!**

**And even though Bruce's hormones are running wild, will he let them take over his analytical BAT-MIND and give in to the possibility that maybe Diana feels the same way?**

**Find out next time on Dragonba-*_ahem* _**

**Whenever I next update, that is ;)**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**


	50. Chapter 49- Light

**A/N- Once again, apologies for the long delay...**

**Also, I'd say there is only one chapter and an Epilogue left. And then if you guys want, the possibility of a sequel? Leave a review for what you would want as the premise for a sequel!**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

* * *

**Chapter 49- Light**

He grabbed the motherbox as Bruce and Diana went through the portal, pushing himself upwards with enormous effort. Gasping for air, he activated the machine and opened up a different portal. Limping through it, he hoped he would make it back to Earth in time.

His eyes watered as he felt the air vanish around him. It took a while to adjust, but his energy slowly grew. As he focused his vision, the fiery surface beneath him roared and erupted in flames. _I am walking...on the surface of the Sun..._

He felt a massive spike in his power levels as pure energy coursed through him. The nanite suit repaired itself, glowing with the excessive power, moulding into his expanding muscles. He felt his chest contract as the suit tightened around him. Heating up, the nanites glowed golden, trying to absorb as much energy as possible. He closed his eyes and let it flow.

* * *

**The Speedforce**

Barry was alive? He didnt think he would have survived the blast from Darkseid, yet here he was. _Where exactly is here? _He felt like he was walking through a dream. Everything was blurry and random, the patterns in the storm were like lights dancing around him. He saw images, visions of the past and the future. He saw Thomas and Martha Wayne being shot and murdered, a young Bruce standing over them and crying, his hands covered in their blood. A chill ran down his spine as he looked at the traumatised child. _I didnt know his parents were murdered..._

He saw Karen holding someones hand, smiling up at them, but the vision shifted before Barry could tell who it was.

An image of Batman holding a limp Diana, her detached from an alien apparatus, flashed behind him. A later sight of the two holding hands, walking through a portal.

He saw Jonathan Kent, trying to get help for his son, and talking to a psychologist about Clarks issues, as the young boy looked up with tears in his eyes at his father. Martha Kent gripped her husbands shoulder and shook her head sadly. Dejected and hurt, the farmboy ran up the stairs, locking his bedroom door and cradling himself, crying as he struggled to fall asleep.

Barry's heart welled up with empathy, but he could do nothing, as the Kents barged into Clarks room, yelling at him to stop being so mopey and depressed all the time. Jonathan meant no harm, but Clark winced at every emotionally damaging remark the man shouted at him.

_Clark Kent suffers from Social and Emotional Isolation and Major Depressive Disorder, as well as Insomnia. _The doctor told the Kents. _I recommend seeking out help. _

Jonathan scoffed. _He's a farm boy, he's got a roof over his head and a happy life, whats he got to be depressed about? _

Clark walked into the room, smiled pensively at the doctor, and looked at the floor. _Why do you do this, Doctor? Do you do it because you want to? Or do you do it because you are compelled? What do you get from helping me? Nothing. You can't help me, Doctor, and neither can they. _

Martha sighed. _Clark, go upstairs, now. Stop acting oversmart._

The child smiled sadly again, and walked back up the stairs.

Barry was torn out of the vision with a sudden ferociousness. The Speedforce welled up around him as the next vision showed the perspective of a bolt of lightning. His eyes widened as he realised when this was. _The day the Flash was born. _

He entered the vision, but this time it wasnt just an image. He WAS the lightning.

As the bolt struck, he relived all of his memories as the Flash.

And then, he was awake.

* * *

**Earth**

Barry's eyes opened to a wasteland. Buildings were torn and scattered everywhere, the team was frantically trying to hold its own against a swarm of parademons, clearly overwhelmed.

Batman and Wonder Woman were nowhere to be seen, and he quickly remembered his vision. _He went to save her. _

Racing through the demons, he carved a path through their ranks, allowing Hal to explode out a wave of energy that sliced the rest of them in half. The Green Lantern proceeded to smile at Barry, who clicked tongue and ran up to the three of them.

Cyborg looked beat up, but still standing. Hal and Karen were out of breath, but still going strong. "All right, guys, can we take out the big guy first?"

Hal smirked. "All right. Here's the deal. I distract him with some fireworks, and then, as his attention is elsewhere, Karen here can swoop in and take out that son of a bitch's eyes. Thats where his beams come from right?"

Victor growled. "I can reopen the portals and reverse the polarity of the neutron flow. Those terraforming devices are powered by something called motherboxes. They bend space. These portals use the same technology and if we can make them cancel out each other, these forces should be pulled back in."

A portal cut him off before he could say the next sentence, exploding open right in front of them. The four of them tensed, before smiling with relief. It was Batman and Wonder Woman. The amazon was clasping his hand tightly as they strode through the portal. Barry glanced at Hal, expecting him to be jealous of them, but he was smiling. Hal walked over and clasped Batman's shoulder. "Good to see you're alright, you crazy bastard."

Barry was shocked. _What happened here? _

Diana too looked on oddly at the budding friendship, as Batman tightly smiled as well, surprising everyone. "Good to see _you _didnt screw things up too badly while I was gone. Is anyone hurt?"

There was a chorus of "We're Fine!"

Diana drew her sword as Karen brought her up to speed. "It's settled then! We blind him!"

The team moved into attack formation, and approached Darkseid with rapid speed. Hal punched him in the back, and shot a volley of energy into the air as Karen flew in and grabbed the behemoth's throat.

Together, the two of them lifted him up and tossed him above the harbour, where Diana and Victor together punched him into the water. Barry skimmed over the water with Batman in the Batwing above him.

The water churned and turned red as beams of energy flew out of it, and sliced apart the plane, as well as hitting Diana's gauntlets with a pounding force. Karen and Hal grappled underwater, holding down Darkseid as Diana landed on the giant's head. "C'mon, giant, I'm getting bored!"

She stabbed downwards, aiming for his eyes, but a flash of red light and an explosion later, her sword lay broken. Wincing, she punched instead.

Blood splattered over her as the eye ruptured and tore, and she flew backwards just in time to avoid the other eye's beam. She saw Batman swimming in the water, and hoisted him up to the bay. The two of them looked at each other for a moment, and he clasped her hand softly, as if to say "Be careful".

She nodded, and gave a loud battle cry as she rejoined her teammates trying to finish their mission. Victor blasted open the motherbox, and initiated the portals closure. The demons were sucked in by the hordes, and Darkseid was enraged.

Grabbing Supergirl, Lantern and Diana, he rammed them into the harbour, smashing a massive crater into the soil. Victor blasted him, but the giant caught his leg and smashed him into the ground, crushing his legs.

Barry broke the sound barrier, trying to reach a high enough speed to damage the enemy, but Darkseid was faster. With a swift motion too fast for even the Flash, he punched Barry in the gut, the massive fist sending him flying through several buildings and tumbling to a halt. Batman flipped off of Darkseid's back, attaching a miniature ramjet propulsion engine from his belt.

Darkseid was pushed into a nearby portal, but grabbed the sides just in time, and then fired an Omega beam back at his assailant. "Oh shi-"

The beam was dispersed with a whoosh, and Diana smiled at him, holding her bracelets crossed in front of her.

Darkseid pulled himself out of the portal, kicking a limp Cyborg and brutally stepping on Green Lanterns arm, cracking it in the process. Diana winced at the noise, and leapt forwards to punch, but was thrown aside by another body hitting hers. Karens.

Darkseid had _thrown _the half kryptonian across the bay, her limp body hitting Diana with enough force to shatter her. Only two of them were still standing...

Diana picked up Karen and Hal, urging them to stay strong. Hal summoned a construct on his broken arm, holding it place. Karen moaned, rubbing her head, but got up. Victor, regenerating, had gotten up and was attempting to distract Darkseid. Only two of them were in any condition to plan out their next move.

Her, and Batman. She flew over to him, grabbing him swiftly and flying away from Darkseid, onto a rooftop out of sight of the god. "What now? He's going to kill us." Sighing with frustration, she turned to look at him. He pursed his lips and looked at her. "StalI him. Hold him down until Victor can open another portal that we can push him back through. _If _he can open another portal..." He hesitated for a moment, and Diana wondered if she should say something to console him, but he spoke first. "Diana...If we dont die tonight, I want you to know that I'm sorry for all the complications this might create..."

"What do you mean?" She asked, but she knew what was coming. She wasn't an idiot. She had suspected it for a long time. _The man beneath the mask._

"I mean, as cliche as it sounds, I'm sorry you had to find out this way."

He peeled off the cowl, and Diana's heart leapt into her throat. Emotions overpowered her as she saw the face of Bruce Wayne.

"My parents were murdered in an alleyway when I was 8 years old. I saw the true face of the city for the first time that night...They died for no reason at all...that was the lesson they taught me. That the world only makes sense if you force it to. When I met you, I couldnt believe that you could be real. You were so kind, I didnt think such purity could have existed. I didnt know how to tell you how much you challenged everything I thought was true. Thank you, Diana, for letting me see the light."

Diana was biting her lip, nervous. She thought she was attracted to Bruce because of his kindness and rare moments of sincerity, and Batman because of his strength and will, but to find out they were the same person...She hated herself for not figuring it out sooner, but her mind darted from place to place trying to think of something to say...

_We should try and stop Darkseid before he kills our friends..._

_Can we talk about this later? _

_Why are you telling me this NOW?_

But the one, overwhelming thought was that she sincerely was falling for him, and that wasn't a good thing to be doing in the middle of a war. She tried to open her mouth, but nothing came out. Darkseid rampaged about behind them, destroying buildings across the harbour. She frowned, and looked towards the damage. "We...should go."

His face shifted, into one of that of melancholy and disappointment. He put his cowl back on.

"I just thought you should know..."

He turned, cape flowing behind him like a dark cloud of despair.

She grabbed his arm as he walked by her, pulling him towards her, tearing his cowl off in one smooth motion. "Look at me, Bruce."

He did, eyes burning with smouldering dark passion. She clasped his wrists tighter, trying her best not to damage him. "Our friends need us. We can't let our emotions get in the way. Right now, it doesnt matter what Bruce Wayne feels about Diana Prince or what Diana Prince feels about Bruce Wayne. It's about _Wonder Woman_ and _Batman_. All those time's you lectured us, never compromising, not even in the face of Armageddon, and you think I'm just going to let you compromise here, because you care about me? No. We _both _compromise. Lets take that son of a bitch down, Wayne, together."

He smiled at her, so tempted to just brush his lips against hers, just for a second, but he didnt. _God damn did he love this girl. _

She smirked at him, and they swung out onto the battle field, amazon yelling out with a war cry and dark knight grappling from rooftop to rooftop like a silent nightmare.

* * *

**The Sun**

Clark was looking at the stars. They were so far away. Their light took so long to reach Earth. Yet, still they shined bright as ever.

Why did they look towards them? What did they see? Lights from dying civilisations, worlds who's lives never came to be, realms of infinite possibilities and the idea that they could have something more. That they werent alone in the universe. Human beings believed themselves to be the centre of the universe for thousands of years. They believed themselves to be alone in the universe for even longer. Yet when the gods came down among them, they were not happy to see them. Because these were gods that only took.

There is good, and there is evil. Both are two sides of the same coin, but evil must be punished. Why was he Superman? Because it was fun? Because of the powers? Because helping people sated his lust for self approval? No.

His mind strayed back to the doctor whom he had questioned as a child. _Do you do it because you want to? Or do you do it because you are compelled? What do you get from helping me? Nothing. You can't help me, Doctor, and neither can they. _

He was right, even then. No one could help him. But he could help others. Not as a god or as a messiahnic figure, but as an ideal. Why? _Because he was compelled._

Superman was more than just a persona he had created, it was something he believed in even before he had his powers. Superman was an ideal, forged in the fires of a dying world, melded by suffering and pain, never faltering in his faith. Hope.

_You will give the people of Earth an ideal to strive towards...They will race behind you...they will stumble...they will fall...but in time...they will join you in the sun._

* * *

**_A/N- A quiet little hopeful ending. Hopefully the tone doesnt bother you...from teenage drama to the precocious mental rants of Clark Kent..._**

**_Anyway, please leave a REVIEW! _**


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